History  of  Rockford  and 
Winnebago  County,  Illinois 

From  the  First  Settlement  in  1834  to  the  Civil  War 
by  CHARLES  A.  CHURCH 


First  Published  in  1 900  by 
THE  NEW  ENGLAND  SOCIETY  OF  ROCKFORD,  ILLINOIS 

Photographically  Reproduced  in  1985  by 
LEONARD  AND  MARY  ADRIGNOLA 


ILLINOIS  HISTORICAL  SURVEY, 


HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD 


THATCHER  BLAKE 

[Oermanicus  Kent  and  Thatcher  Blake  were  the  first  settlers 
of  Rockford.    They  came  from  Galena  in  the  summer  of  1834] 


HISTORY 


OF 


ROCKFORD 


WINNEBAGO     COUNTY 

ILLINOIS 

FROM  THE  FIRST  SETTLEMENT  IN   1834  TO  THE  CIVIL  WAR 


CHARLES  A.  CHURCH 


WITH   ILLUSTRATIONS    FROM    NEGATIVES  TAKEN   BY    MEMBERS  OF  NEW    ENGLAND 
SOCIETY,    AND  OTHERS 


publishes  bg  tbe  flew  SnglanD  Society  of  •RocfcforD,  nil. 


ROCKFORD,    ILL. 

W.   P.    LAMB,    BOOK  AND  JOB    PRINTER. 
1900 


LEONARD  and  MARY  ADRIGNOLA 

1985 


COPYRIGHT 

1900 
BY  THE  NEW  ENGLAND  SOCIETY 

OF  ROCKFOIJD,   ILLINOIS 


Photographically  reproduced  from  the  original  edition  dated  1900,  by 
Leonard  and  Mary  Adrignola,  Rockford,  Illinois. 

July,  1985. 

Printed  and  bound  in  the  United  States  of  America. 


LEONARD  AND  MARY  ADRIGNOLA 
1985 


CH7 


"  Both  justice  and  decency  require  that  we  should  bestow  on  our  forefathers 
an  honorable  remembrance."  THUCYDIDES. 


TO  THE  MEMORY  OP 

THE  EARLY  SETTLERS  OE  ROCKEORD 

WHO  FOUNDED  THIS  BEAUTIFUL  CITY 

UPON    THE    NEW  ENGLAND    MODEL,  AND  GAVE  TO  IT  THE 

BEST    ELEMENTS    OF  CHRISTIAN    CIVILIZATION, 

THIS  VOLUME  IS  RESPECTFULLY 

DEDICATED  BY 

THE  AUTHOR. 

k 

•\ 


Officers  flew  England  Society 
1000*1001 


PRESIDENT           .  ARTHUR  H.  FROST 

VICE-PRESIDENT  GEORGE  M.  BLAKE 

SECRETARY           .  (Vacancy  to  be  filled) 

TREASURER  JOHN  L.  CLARK 


Executive  Committee 
FRANK  J.  LEONARD 

MRS.  G.  W.  MAGCIRE 
W.  C.  TAFT 

MRS.  E.  W.  CHANDLER 

MRS.  EDNA  SOUTHGATE 


•historical  Committee 
CHARLES  L.  WILLIAMS 

MRS.  HARRIOTT  WIGHT  SHERRATT 
MRS.  E.  P.  CATION 

MRS.  ANNA  C.  VINCENT 

S.  J.  CASWELL 


CONTENTS 


CHAP.  PAGE 

i.  GEOGRAPHICAL  REVIEW             .             .             .             .             .1 

n.  GEOLOGY  AND  TOPOGRAPHY  OP  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY            .               6 

in.  THE  MOUND-BUILDERS  AND  THE  WINNEBAGO  INDIANS     .             .       10 

iv.  THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR      .....             16 

v.  STEPHEN  MACK. — JOHN  PHELPS. — JOSEPH  KEMP             .             .      22 

vi.  GERMANICUS  KENT  AND  THATCHER  BLAKE  ...            26 

vn.  PICTURESQUE  ROCKFORD.— ITS  FLORA  AND  FAUNA          .             .       32 

vra.  DANIEL  SHAW  HAIGHT.— OTHER  SETTLERS  OF  1835               .             35 

ix.  THE  PIONEERS  OF  1836            .             .             .             .             .40 

x.  JOHN  C.  KEMBLE  :  THE  FIRST  LAWYER.— OTHER  SETTLERS  OF  1837    45 

xi.  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  CODNTY.— THE  FIRST  ELECTION  .             .       51 

xn.  LOCATION  OF  THE  COUNTY  SEAT  AT  WINNEBAGO      .             .             58 

xra.  THE  FERRY. — EARLY  STATE  AND  COUNTY  ROADS            .             .       61 

xiv.  THE  VILLAGE  CHRISTENED.— THE  FIRST  SURVEYS     .             .             65 

xv.  THE  RISE  OF  METHODISM.— FIRST  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH       68 

xvi.  FIRST  CRIME.— FIRST  MARRIAGES  AND  BIRTHS.— CLAIM  FIGHTS          75 

xvii.  THE  COUNTY  DIVIDED.— "  MILE-STRIP  CONTEST."— MINOR  NOTES       81 

xvm.  NEW  ENGLAND  CONGREGATIONALISM.— THE  FIRST  CHURCH     .            87 

xix.  FIRST  PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATION.— THE  POSTOFFICE.— FIRST  COURTS    97 

xx.  THE  STAGE  COACH.— EARLY  HOTELS.— VILLAGE  PLATS         .          102 

xxi.  DR.  A.  M.  CATLIN.— THE  FOOTE  BROTHERS.— FIRST  SEMINARY  IDEA  10*7 

xxii.  DR.  JOSIAH  C.  GOODHUE. — DR.  ALDEN  THOMAS          .            .           110 

xxm.  DR.  GEORGE  HASKELL.— THE  GIPSY:  THB  FIRST  STEAMBOAT     .     114 

xxrv.  JAMES  M.  WIGHT.— JASON  MARSH.— OTHER  PIONEERP  1838-39        118 

xxv.  TRIALS  OF  THE  PIONEERS.— SCARCITY  OF  PROVISIONS     .             .     131 

xxvi.  ROCKFORD  HOUSES  IN  1838.— LATER  BUILDINGS.— H.  H.  SILSBY      134 

xxvii.  THE  FIRST  BAPTIST  CHURCH.— JACOB  KNAPP.— DR.  THOMAS  KERR    138 

xxvra.  VILLAGE  INCORPORATED.— LAND  SALE.— FIRST  TEMPERANCE  CLUB    148 

xxix.  ROCKFORD  CEMETERIES       .             .             .             .             .151 

xxx.  THE  SEVEN  YEARS'  WAR  OVER  THE  SITE  OF  THE  COUNTY  SEAT  -  154 

xxxi.  PLAN  OF  SECESSION  AND  PROPOSED  ANNEXATION  TO  WISCONSIN       160 

xxxn.  ROCKFORD'S  ATTITUDE  TOWARD  REPUDIATION  OF  STATE  DEBT        166 

xxxm.  THE  LYCEUM.— SETTLERS  OF  THE  EARLY  FORTIES.— MINOR  NOTES    168 

xxxiv.  ORGANIZATION  OF  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY. — THE  FIRST  FAIR     .     172 

xxxv.  THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR  —THE  BANDITTI  OF  THE  FRONTIER            174 

xxxvi.  ROBBERY  OF  MCKENNEY  AND  MULFORD.— COLONEL  DAVENPORT     182 


CONTENTS. 

CHAP.  PAGE 

xxxvii.  TRANSPORTATION  :  NAVIGATION  OP  ROCK  RIVER.— PLANK  ROADS  188 

xxxviu.  NEW  ENGLAND  UNITARIANISM.-FIRST  CHURCH.— REV.  A.  H.  CONANT  194 

xxxix.  EARLY  ELECTIONS.— POLITICAL  REMINISCENCES             .             .  201 

XL.  Louis  KENT:  THE  ONLY  SLAVE  m  THE  COUNTY     .            .  208 

XLI.  THE  POLISH  CLAIMS.— DELAY  IN  OBTAINING  LAND  PATENTS     .  210 

xi.n.  PIONEERS  IN  LOCAL  JOURNALISM  ....  215 

XLm.  THE  FIRST  DAM.— THE  WATER  POWER.— HIGH  WATER  OF  1844  222 

XLIV.  POSTMASTERS  OF  ROCKFORD.— ITS  ONLY  POSTMISTRESS      .  226 

XLV.  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH  .             .             .  229 

XLVI.  FIRST  BRIDGE.— FIRST  FOUNDRY  AND  MACHINE  SHOP           .  231 

XLVII.  WORCESTER  A.  DICKERMAN.— ROCKFORD  AS  HE  SAW  IT  IN  1844  .  235 

XLVIII.  THE  SOCIAL  LIFE  OF  ROCKFORD  IN  THE  EARLY  FORTIES     .  248 

XLIX.  PREDOMINANCE  OF  THE  NEW  ENGLAND  TYPE  IN  EARLY  ROCKFORD  253 

L.  RIVER  AND  HARBOR  CONVENTION.— WINNEBAGO  DELEGATES      .  257 

LI.  THE  "REFORM"  OF  THE  JUDICIARY  .-CONSTITUTIONAL  CON  VENTION  260 

LII.  THE  GALENA  AND  CHICAGO  UNION:  THE  FIRST  RAILROAD         .  266 

LIII.  REPRESENTATIVE  ROCKFORD  CITIZENS:  1842-50     .             .  273 

LIV.  DEPARTURE  OF  MR.  HAIGHT.— LOCAL  STATISTICS.— OTHER  NOTES  281 

LV,  EMMANUEL  CHURCH  (EPISCOPAL)         ....  284 

LVI.  ROCKFORD  FEMALE  SEMINARY,— ANNA  P.  SILL.— ARATUB  KENT  287 

LVII.  STATE  AND  LOCAL  SCHOOL  FUNDS.— EARLY  ROCKFORD  SCHOOLS  296 

Lvni.  ADOPTION  OF  TOWNSHIP  ORGANIZATION      .             .             .  304 

LIX.  SECOND  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH        ....  806 

LX.  INCORPORATION  OF  ROCKFORD  AS  A  CITY.— MINOR  NOTES    .  813 

LXI.  ELECTIONS  OF  1852-53.— ELIHU  B.  WASHBUBNE            .             .  319 

LXH.  THE  WATER  POWER.— THE  MANNY-MCCORMICK  SUIT            .  821 

LXin.  EMERSON,  LOWELL,  WHIPPLE  AND  OTHERS  LECTURE  IN  ROCKFORD  326 

LXIV.  A  FRAGMENT  OF  POLITICAL  HISTORY.— ROCKFORD  BANKS.— NOTES  329 

LXV.  ROCKFORD  SETTLERS  1851-54             ....  333 

LXVI.  THE  FREE  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  SYSTEM            •             .             .  341 

LXVII.  THE  FIRST  LIBRARY.— WESLEYAN  SEMINARY    .                          .  344 

LXVIH.  BAYARD  TAYLOR'S  TRIBUTE.— FRATERNITIES.— NOTES          .  347 

LXIX,  MURDER  OF  SHERIFF  TAYLOR.— EXECUTION  OF  COUNTRYMAN    ,  850 

LXX.  KENOSHA  AND  ROCKFORD  RAILROAD.— EARLY  MANSIONS.— NOTES  352 

LXXI.  FATALITY  AT  A  CHARIVARI.— TRIAL  OF  GOVERNOR  BEBB.— NOTES  858 

Lxxn.  THE  LINCOLN-DOUGLAS  DEBATE      ....  860 

LXXIH.  ROCKFORD  SETTLERS  1855-59             ....  362 

LXXIV.  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY  1850-60              .             .             .  368 

LXXV.  CONCLUSION                                                       .             .             .  378 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


THATCHER  BLAKE,  ...  .  .  .  Frontispiece 

MAP  OF  NORTHERN  ILLINOIS,  '  .  .  .  .  .17 

FIRST  METHODIST  CHURCH,  .....  89 

FIRST  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH,         .  .  .  .  .89 

RESIDENCE  OF  DANIEL  3.  HAIGHT,  ....  129 

SECOND  COURT  HOUSE,  ......       129 

OLD  SECOND  NATIONAL  BANK  BLOCK,       ....  177 

W.  G.  CONICK'S  RESIDENCE,    ......       177 

MANDEVILLE  HOUSE,       .  .  .  .  .  .  283 

BRINCKERHOFF  HOUSE,  .  .  .  .  .  .283 

OLD  SEMINARY  BUILDING,  .....  289 

SCIENCE  HALL,  ROCKFORD  COLLEGE,   .....       289 

EAST  STATE  STREET,  AS  SEEN  IN  1855.    ....  337 


INTRODUCTION 


IN  the  day  •  of  ancient  Rome  Janus  was  the  guardian  deity  of 
gates.  As  every  gate  turned  either  way,  so  Janus  was  rep- 
resented with  two  heads.  One  was  of  a  youth,  to  indicate  begin- 
ning ;  the  other  was  of  an  old  man,  suggestive  of  the  end.  The 
first  looked  toward  the  future;  the  second,  toward  the  past. 
The  student,  like  Janus  of  old,  surveys  the  past;  and  only 
from  this  point  of  view  can  he  intelligently  interpret  the  pres- 
ent, and  in  some  measure  forecast  the  future. 

As  a  community  becomes  older,  and  the  habits  of  its  people 
become  fixed,  the  study  of  local  history  receives  attention.  A 
movement  was  recently  begun  in  this  state  for  the  purpose  of 
creating  popular  interest  in  state  and  local  history ;  and  these 
subjects  will  doubtless  receive  more  attention  than  formerly. 
This  volume  does  not  claim  infallibility;  but  it  does  purport  to 
be  a  thorough  and  conscientious  effort  to  present  in  miniature 
the  life  of  this  community  during  a  period  of  twenty-seven  years 
from  its  first  settlement.  It  is  primarily  a  history  of  Rock- 
ford  ;  but  no  history  of  the  city  would  be  complete  unless  con- 
siderable attention  were  given  to  the  county,  as  a  background. 
Nearly  all  the  early  settlers  have  passed  away.  This  fact  makes 
the  fund  of  reminiscences  smaller  than  might  be  desired.  It  is 
believed,  however,  this  volume  contains  a  larger  number  of  local 
facts  than  were  ever  before  presented  in  a  single  work.  This  is 
due  to  the  fact  that  the  author  has  been  fortunate  in  obtaining 
access  to  sources  of  information  that  were  not  available  to 
any  of  his  predecessors.  It  is  hoped  that  the  treatment  of  all 
available  material  has  been  such  that  no  future  historian  of 
Rockford  will  be  obliged  to  go  over  the  ground  in  order  to  sub- 
stantiate the  facts  herein  set  forth.  The  Roman  poet,  Ovid, 
made  Janus  say:  "Everything  depends  on  the  beginning." 
The  author  hopes  that  upon  this  foundation  a  later  historian 
will  rear  the  superstructure  of  a  complete  history  of  the  Forest 
City  to  the  close  of  the  century. 

Clio,  the  muse  of  history,  is  represented  as  wearing  a  wreath 
of  laurel,  and  holding  a  half-open  parchment  roll,  upon  which 
she  has  inscribed  the  deeds  of  heroes  and  the  songs  of  love. 


INTRODUCTION. 

Clio  and  her  sister-muses  were  nymphs  of  the  springs  that  bick- 
ered down  the  sides  of  Helicon  and  Parnassus,  the  waters  of 
which  were  supposed  to  possess  the  property  of  inspiration. 
Thus  the  historian  of  the  old  school  painted  ideal  heroes  and 
their  exploits,  with  the  grouping  made  very  largely  according 
to  the  taste  of  the  artist. 

This  age  demands  a  sterner  realism.  The  modern  histo- 
rian is  a  patient  plodder  and  a  delver  after  facts.  He  must 
clear  and  arrange  the  buried  fragments  of  the  past,  and  so 
far  as  he  may  reconstruct  the  shifting  tableaux  of  human  life, 
"  so  that  king  and  subject,  wise  and  simple,  high  and  low,  rich 
and  poor,  capital  and  labor,  virtue  and  vice,  crown  and  spade, 
crook  and  plow,  sword  and  pen,  and  all  that  makes  the  thought 
and  act  of  life,  may  be  to  the  present  what  they  were  to  the 
past."  The  inventive  genius  of  Rockford  has  produced  a  ma- 
chine that  will  paint  a  portrait  of  high  artistic  excellence,  with 
comparative  ease.  The  next  wonder  may  be  a  device  to  grind 
out  history,  with  neither  sweat  of  brow  nor  weariness  of  brain. 

The  author  has  received  the  cordial  co-operation  of  the 
officers  and  executive  and  historical  committees  of  the  New  Eng- 
land society.  He  is  indebted  to  many  friends  for  valuable  aid 
in  personal  reminiscences.  He  has  received  the  utmost  courtesy 
from  early  settlers  and  others  interested  in  the  work ;  and  to 
them  is  due,  in  large  measure,  whatever  success  may  attend  its 
publication.  He  is  especially  indebted  to  collections  of  manu- 
scripts gathered  some  years  ago  by  the  late  Hon.  E.  H.  Baker 
and  the  late  H.  H.  Silsby.  Lewis  F.  Lake,  M.  A.  Norton  and 
H.  C.  Scovill  have  placed  the  records  of  their  respective  offices 
at  his  disposal.  The  clerks  of  the  several  churches  have  loaned 
their  records;  and  the  early  records  of  Rockford  seminary  have 
been  frequently  consulted.  The  author  is  also  indebted  to  Mrs. 
Harriott  Wight  Sherratt,  Mrs.  Katherine  Keeler,Mrs.E.P.  Cat- 
lin,  Chas.  H.  Spafford,  Hon.  Wm.  Lathrop,  S.  J.  Caswell,  and 
H.  N.  Starr,  for  the  loan  of  family  manuscripts  and  valuable 
information  personally  given.  The  splendid  resources  of  the 
public  library  have  been  utilized,  and  without  them  this  volume 
could  not  have  been  prepared  upon  it  present  scale. 

CHARLES  A.  CHURCH. 
ROCKFORD,  ILL.,  MAY  22,  1900. 


CHAPTER  I. 

4      GEOGRAPHICAL    REVIEW. 

THE  territory  now  comprised  within  the  state  of  Illinois  first 
nominally  formed  a  part  of  Virginia.  The  primal  rights 
of  the  native  Indians  were  never  recognized  by  the  explorers 
from  the  old  world.  The  English  crown,  by  virtue  of  discov- 
eries made  by  the  Cabots  and  the  colonies  planted  by  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh,  took  formal  possession  of  that  portion  of  the  new 
world  known  as  Virginia.  This  name  was  given  the  new  pos- 
session by  the  Virgin  Queen,  Elizabeth,  in  honor  of  herself.  In 
1606,  early  in  the  reign  of  King  James  I.,  two  companies  were 
formed  for  the  colonization  of  America.  Virginia  was  divided 
into  two  parts.  To  the  London  Company  the  king  granted 
South  Virginia,  which  extended  from  Cape  Fear,  in  North  Car- 
olina, to  the  Potomac.  To  the  Plymouth  Company  he  gave 
North  Virginia,  which  stretched  from  Nova  Scotia  to  Long 
Island.  The  region  between  'the  Potomac  and  the  Hudson 
was  left  as  a  broad  belt  of  neutral  territory.  Under  the  revised 
charter  of  1609  these  grants  were  to  run  in  straight  zones 
across  the  continent,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  They 
included  "all  the  islands  lying  within  one  hundred  miles  along 
the  coast  of  both  seas"  aforesaid.  So  little  was  then  known  of 
the  geography  of  North  America,  that  it  was  believed  the  con- 
tinent at  this  latitude  was  no  wider  than  in  Mexico.  Hence 
England  made  extensive  grants  of  land  on  this  continent  in 
utter  ignorance  of  its  extent  arid  configuration.  This  charter 
was  subsequently  annulled  by  quo  warranto,  and  special  com- 
missions issued,  in  which  the  king  declared  that  the  charter  was 
abrogated  for  the  benefit  of  the  settlers;  but  that  it  should 
not  affect  their  private  or  civil  rights,  but  only  the  political 
rights  of  the  company  at  home. 

The  English  colonists  in  Virginia,  however,  did  not  penetrate 
far  into  the  interior.  Thus  the  royal  claim  to  the  "land  through- 
out from  sea  to  sea  we«t  and  northwest"  did  not  secure  the 
title  of  the  English  crown  to  this  vast  domain.  The  French 
were  the  first  actual  settlers  in  the  great  Mississippi  valley. 
During  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century  Father  Mar- 
quette,  Joliet,  LaSalle,  Tonti  and  others  explored  the  shores  of 


2  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

the  Father  of  Waters  and  his  tributaries,  and  believed  they  had 
found  a  terrestrial  paradise.  LaSalle  descended  the  Mississippi 
to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  He  named  the  country  Louisiana,  in 
honor  of  his  king,  Louis  XIV.  By  virtue  of  these  explorations 
France  made  formal  claim  to  the  territory  lying  on  either  side 
of  the  Mississippi.  Possession  is  said  to  be  nine  points  in  the 
law.  According  to  this  doctrine  France,  and  not  England,  was 
the  first  European  power  to  establish  its  claim  to  the  Illinois 
territory  by  actual  occupation.  Between  the  years  1695  and 
1705  colonies  from  Lower  Canada  founded  the  villages  of  Kas- 
kaskia,  Cahokia  and  Vincennes.  The  French  government  united 
its  possessions  in  Canada  with  those  in  Louisiana  by  a  chain 
of  posts,  fromQnebecto  New  Orleans;  and  Le  Grande  Monarque 
made  numerous  grants  to  his  favorites.  The  large  number  of 
grants  of  land  made  during  this  period  indicate  that  Illinois 
even  at  that  early  day  had  attracted  general  attention.  Thus, 
with  English  colonies  on  the  coast,  and  French  occupation  in 
the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  it  was  only  a  question  of  time 
when  there  would  come  a  final  struggle  for  the  possession  of 
this  vast  territory. 

This  crisis  came  with  the  French  and  Indian  war,  the  issue 
of  which  committed  the  destiny  of  the  west  to  the  Anglo-Saxon 
civilization.  By  the  treaty  of  Paris,  in  1763,  Great  Britain 
obtained  all  the  French  territory  east  of  the  Mississippi,  with 
the  exception  of  the  island  of  New  Orleans.  France  ceded  New 
Orleans  and  all  of  Louisiana  west  of  the  Mississippi  to  Spain. 
In  all  the  great  continent  of  America,  France  retained  not  a 
foot  of  ground. 

The  special  claim  made  by  Virginia  to  the  Illinois  territory 
was  based  upon  the  bold  conquest  of  this  region  by  Colonel 
George  Rogers  Clark.  In  1778  Colonel  Clark  conducted  a  series 
of  brilliant  campaigns  against  the  military  posts  at  Kaskaskia, 
Cahokia  and  Vincennes.  These  posts  and  those  upon  the  lakes 
were  in  possession  of  the  British,  under  the  command  of  Henry 
Hamilton,  whose  headquarters  were  at  Detroit.  From  these 
posts  the  Indians  were  supplied  with  munitions,  and  were  thus 
enabled  to  harass  the  settlements  in  Kentucky  with  their  cruel 
guerrilla  warfare.  The  French  villages,  the  only  settlements  in 
the  region,  were  seats  of  British  power.  If  these  posts  could  be 
taken,  and  the  capture  of  the  British  soldiers  effected,  the  entire 
region  would  be  won  for  the  Old  Dominion.  This  result  could 
only  be  effected  by  force ;  and  the  scheme  appealed  to  the  bold 


THE  CONQUEST  OF  THE  WEST. 


spirit  of  Colonel  Clark.  He  presented  the  matter  to  Patrick 
Henry,  who  was  then  governor  of  Virginia.  Henry's  ardent 
soul  quickly  caught  the  flame,  and  he  secretly  rendered  such 
assistance  as  came  within  his  power. 

The  outcome  justified  Colonel  Clark's  most  sanguine  expec- 
tations. His  brilliant  exploits  constitute  one  of  the  most 
romantic  chapters  in  pioneer  history.  The  results  were  very 
great,  and  doubtless  prepared  the  way  for  the  purchase  of  Lou- 
isiana. If  Clark  had  failed  to  conquer  and  hold  the  Illinois  and 
Viucennes,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  Ohio  river  would 
have  been  the  boundary  between  the  American  and  the  British 
possessions.  The  colonial  charters  furnished  color  of  title ;  but 
the  American  claim  actually  rested  on  the  conquest  and  occu- 
pation of  the  west  by  Colonel  Clark  and  the  backwoodsmen. 
Thus  the  west  was  won  by  the  westward  movement  of  the 
backwoodsmen  during  the  Revolution ;  by  the  final  success  of 
the  Continental  armies  in  the  east ;  and  by  the  diplomacy  of 
Franklin,  Jay  and  Adams  in  the  treaty  of  Paris.  Failure  at 
any  one  of  these  points  would  have  given  the  British  the 
possession  of  the  west.  Colonel  Clark  spent  his  last  years  alone 
in  poverty,  in  a  rude  dwelling  on  Corn  Island,  until  he  went  to 
the  home  of  his  sister.  When  Virginia  sent  him  a  sword  he 
received  the  compliments  of  the  committee  in  gloomy  silence 
and  then  exclaimed :  "When  Virginia  wanted  a  sword  I  gave 
her  one.  She  sends  me  now  a  toy.  I  want  bread."  He  thrust 
the  s word  into  the  ground,  and  broke  it  with  his  crutch.  His 
grave  is  in  Cave  Hill  cemetery  at  Louisville,  marked  by  a  little 
headstone  bearing  the  letters,  G.  R.  C.  It  is  said  that  not  half 
a  dozen  persons  in  the  United  States  can  point  it  out.  Fortune 
was  unkind  to  him,  and  republics  seemed  ungrateful;  but  his- 
tory must  pay  its  just  tribute  to  his  genius,  his  patriotism,  and 
his  prowess. 

Virginia  assumed  the  title  to  this  extensive  territory,  first 
by  right  of  her  charter,  and  secondly  by  the  conquest  of  her 
own  arms.  These  claims,  though  challenged  by  the  other 
states,  were  successfully  maintained  by  the  Old  Dominion;  and 
the  territory  was  at  once  organized  into  a  county  called  Illinois. 
This  word  is  derived  from  the  Algonquin  word  Inini,  or  Illini, 
which  means  a  perfect  and  accomplished  man.  The  Illinois  were 
an  Indian  tribe  of  the  Algonquin  nation,  who  occupied  a  portion 
of  the  state  which  now  bears  their  name.  These  events  occurred 
during  the  administration  of  Patrick  Henry  as  governor  of 


4  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

Virginia,  and  therefore  he  may  be  said  to  have  been  the  first 
governor  of  Illinois. 

By  the  treaty  of  Paris  in  1783,  which  terminated  the  Revo- 
lutionary war,  the  Illinois  territory  passed  forever  from  the 
control  of  Great  Britain.  It  was  not  clear,  however,  to  whom 
the  title  was  transferred.  Daring  the  war  four  states  had  made 
claims  either  to  the  whole  or  to  parts  of  this  domain.  They 
were  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  New  York  and  Virginia.  The 
first  two  colonies  had  received  royal  permission  to  extend  from 
sea  to  sea.  But  Virginia  was  the  lordly  Old  Dominion,  which 
had  actually  conquered  and  held  the  disputed  territory. 

At  this  juncture  Maryland  arose  to  the  occasion  in  1777, 
with  a  novel  and  practical  suggestion.  As  a  condition  of  rat- 
ifying the  Articles  of  Confederation,  Maryland  insisted  that  the 
four  claimant  states  should  surrender  their  claims  to  the  United 
States,  and  that  the  latter  should  create  a  domain  which  should 
be  owned  by  the  confederacy  in  common.  In  1780  congress 
recommended  to  the  several  states  such  cession  of  their  several 
claims,  and  the  creation  of  a  national  domain.  Thus  there 
were  planted  the  fruitful  seeds  of  national  unity. 

In  pursuance  of  this  recommendation  Connecticut,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  New  York  surrendered  their  claims,  which  were 
more  or  less  shadowy.  The  magnanimity  of  Virginia  was 
genuine.  The  Old  Dominion  made  a  complete  surrender  of  the 
magnificent  territory  of  which  she  was  in  actual  possession.  In 
this  concession  she  was  greatly  influenced  by  Thomas  Jefferson. 
October  20, 1783,  the  general  assembly  passed  an  act  which 
authorized  the  delegates  of  the  state  in  congress  to  convey  to 
the  United  States,  on  certain  conditions,  her  entire  territory 
northwest  of  the  Ohio  river.  One  of  these  conditions  was  that 
the  ceded  territory  should  be  formed  into  states  not  less  than 
one  hundred,  nor  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  square 
or  as  near  thereto  as  circumstances  would  admit.  Accordingly 
on  March  1, 1784,  Thomas  Jefferson,  Samuel  Hardy,  Arthur 
Lee  and  James  Monroe,  the  delegates  for  the  commonwealth  in 
congress,  presented  to  the  United  States  a  deed  of  cession  of 
the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  river.  By  the  Ordinance  of 
1787  congress  provided  that  not  less  than  three  nor  more  than 
five  states  should  be  formed  from  this  territory,  as  soon  as 
Virginia  should  alter  her  act  of  cession  and  consent  to  the 
same.  Virginia,  by  her  act  of  December  30,  1788,  promptly 
ratified  the  act  of  congress  of  the  preceding  year,  "anything  to 


ILLINOIS  ADMITTED  AS  A  STATE. 


the  contrary  in  the  deed  of  cession  of  the  said  territory  by  this 
commonwealth  to  the  United  States  notwithstanding."  Thus 
was  accomplished  the  transfer  of  this  public  domain  to  the 
United  States. 

By  the  act  of  congress  of  May  7,  1800,  the  Northwest  Ter- 
ritory was  divided.  That  portion  east  of  a  line  drawn  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Kentucky  river  to  the  British  possessions,  was 
called  the  Ohio  Territory.  The  remainder,  west  of  this  line,  was 
called  Indiana  Territory,  and  comprised  the  present  states  of 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Michigan  and  Wisconsin.  William  Henry 
Harrison  was  appointed  governor.  Indiana  Territory  was 
divided  by  act  of  congress  approved  June  11,  1805,  and  that 
portion  corresponding  to  the  present  southern  portion  of 
Michigan  was  set  apart,  under  the  name  of  Michigan  Territory. 
In  1809  the  Indiana  Territory  was  again  divided.  That  portion 
lying  west  of  the  Wabash  river  and  a  line  from  that  river  due 
north  to  the  British  possessions,  was  constituted  a  separate 
government,  under  the  name  of  Illinois.  This  area  included 
the  present  states  of  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  and  peninsular  Michi- 
gan. The  seat  of  government  was  fixed  at  Kaskaskia,  where  a 
territorial  legislature,  which  consisted  of  the  governor  and  the 
judges,  convened  in  June,  1809.  Thus  the  machinery  of  the 
first  grade  of  civil  government  was  put  in  operation  in  Illinois 
Territory. 

In  1812  the  Territory  of  Illinois  was  advanced  to  the  second 
grade  of  territorial  government.  This  organization  continued 
until  1818.  In  January  the  territorial  legislature  petitioned 
congress  for  admission  into  the  union  as  a  sovereign  state.  A 
bill  for  this  purpose  was  presented  in  congress  in  April,  and 
through  the  influence  of  Nathaniel  Pope,  the  territorial  delegate, 
the  northern  boundary  was  extended  from  the  line  indicated  in 
the  petition  to  latitude  42°  30'.  The  reason  for  the  change  of 
the  northern  boundary  line  will  be  more  fully  explained  in  a 
subsequent  chapter.  The  act  of  congress  of  April  18,  1818, 
provided  for  the  admission  of  Illinois  into  the  union.  In  August 
of  the  same  year  the  Illinois  convention  adopted  a  constitution 
and  ordinance  accepting  the  terms  of  admission  prescribed  by 
congress.  The  final  act  by  which  Illinois  attained  its  present 
geographical  and  political  status  was  a  resolution  of  congress, 
adopted  December  3, 1818,  which  formally  declared  the  admis- 
sion of  the  state  into  the  union. 


CHAPTER  II. 

GEOLOGY  AND  TOPOGRAPHY  OF  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

THE  Geological  Survey  of  Illinois  Volume  V.  furnishes  the 
most  complete  information  concerning  the  geology  and 
topography  of  Winnebago  county.  This  work  was  published 
by  the  authority  of  the  legislature  of  the  state.  The  article 
devoted  to  this  county  was  contributed  by  James  Shaw,  and 
many  of  the  facts  given  in  this  chapter  were  taken  therefrom. 

The  geology  of  Winnebago  county  is  simple  in  character. 
There  is  first  the  usual  quaternary  deposits,  which  consist  of 
sand,  clays,  gravels,  boulders,  subsoils  and  alluvium.  Then 
follow  the  three  well-known  divisions  of  the  Trenton  limestone, 
which  outcrop  along  the  streams  and  hills,  and  show  themselves 
in  railroad  cuts,  wells  and  quarries  in  different  parts  of  the 
county.  These  divisions  are  the  Galena,  Blue  and  Buff  lime- 
stones of  the  western  geologists.  A  perpendicular  section,  as 
near  as  could  be  constructed,  exhibited  the  following  strata: 
Quaternary  deposits,  average  depth  about  fifteen  feet;  Galena 
limestone,  ninety-six-feet ;  Blue  limestone,  thirty -five  feet ;  Buff 
limestone,  forty-five  feet.  These  measurements  of  the  limestones 
were  made  at  actual  worked  outcrops.  At  the  time  Volume  V. 
of  the  Geological  Survey  was  published  no  evidence  of  the  St. 
Peter's  sandstone  had  been  discovered,  although  it  was  then 
believed  that  it  came  near  the  surface  at  Beloit  and  Rockton. 
In  1885,  however,  when  Rockford  began  boring  artesian  wells, 
the  St.  Peter's  sandstone  was  discovered.  Its  upper  surface 
was  irregular,  varying  from  one  hundred  and  seventy  to  two 
hundred  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground.  This  strata 
varies  from  two  hundred  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  thick- 
ness. Mr.  Shaw  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  Trenton 
limestones  were  at  the  time  of  his  survey  the  only  ones  that 
had  been  exposed  or  excavated  in  the  county. 

The  surface  geology  comprises  alluvial  deposits,  loess,  and 
the  drift  proper.  The  usual  alluvial  bottoms  exist  along  the 
Rock,  Pecatonica  and  Sugar  rivers.  These  are  from  one  to  five 
miles  wide.  On  the  latter  two  the  deposit  is  deep,  black,  and 


LIMESTONES.— ECONOMIC  GEOLOG Y. 


rich,  and  supports  in  places  a  heavy  growth  of  timber.  The 
deposit  along  Rock  river  is  not  so  rich,  and  is  composed  more 
of  sands  and  clays,  with  occasional  strips  of  better  soil.  A 
number  of  the  bluffs  along  Rock  river  are  composed  in  part  of 
loess  clays,  in  which  no  fluvatile  shells  were  noticed.  This 
formation  is  of  quite  limited  extent. 

The  drift  proper  is  very  largely  developed.  It  is  composed 
of  loose  detrital  matter,  which  is  often  of  considerable  thick- 
ness, brought  from  long  distances,  and  deposited  over  large 
areas  of  the  county.  This  material  is  thought  to  have  been 
brought  from  the  metamorphic  regions  of  the  north  by  the 
action  of  water.  The  railroad  track  from  Beloit  to  Caledonia 
cuts  at  intervals  through  long,  undulating  swells  of  land.  These 
swells  are  pure,  unmodified,  uustratified  drift.  Other  railroads 
exhibit  the  same  beds  along  their  tracks,  though  in  a  less 
marked  degree.  Every  township  in  the  county  has  these  gravel 
beds,  and  their  underlying  associate  deposits  of  clay  and  sand. 

Two-thirds  of  Winnebago  county  is  underlaid  by  the  Galena 
limestone.  It  is  a  heavy-bedded,  yellowish,  dolomitic  lime- 
stone, compact  and  irregular.  There  are  several  notable 
quarries  and  outcrops.  The  first  heavy  outcrop  of  the  Galena 
limestone  on  Rock  river  in  this  county  is  about  three  miles 
above  Rockford.  All  the  cuts  on  the  Galena  division  of  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway,  which  runs  across  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  county,  show  the  lead-bearing  rocks.  One  of 
the  heaviest  outcrops  is  east  of  Harlem  station,  on  the  railroad 
running  from  Rockford  to  Caledonia.  The  strata  are  massive 
and  solid,  and  furnish  splendid  material  for  railroad  masonry. 

The  Blue  limestone  succeeds  the  Galena  in  the  descending 
order.  It  is  largely  developed  in  the  northern  and  northwest- 
ern portions  of  the  county.  It  is  a  thin-bedded,  bluish-gray 
limestone.  The  first  two  cuts  east  of  Shirland,  made  by  the 
Western  Union  in  its  excavations  for  a  track,  are  perhaps  the 
best  exposures  of  the  Blue  limestone. 

Only  a  limited  portion  of  the  county  is  underlaid  by  the 
Buff  limestone.  The  chief  outcrop  of  this  formation  is  at  the 
village  of  Rockton,  where  it  is  forty-five  feet  in  thickness. 

The  county  is  not  without  resources  in  economic  geology. 
The  three  formations  of  the  Trenton  rocks,  previously  noted, 
furnish  building  stone  of  good  quality.  Age  does  not  affect 
it,  and  buildings  erected  sixty  years  ago  are  still  well  preserved. 
This  is  especially  true  of  the  Galena  limestone.  The  quarries 


8  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WIANEBAGO  COUNTY. 

at  Argyle,  Rockford  and  at  other  points  north  and  south  of 
Harlem  supply  material  for  railroad  masonry.  The  Buff  also 
furnishes  stone  of  good  quality  for  ordinary  mason-work,  and 
is  easily  quarried  and  worked.  At  present  there  is  only  one 
quarry  of  the  Blue  limestone  in  the  city. 

Sands  and  clays  for  economic  purposes  are  found  almost 
everywhere  along  the  banks  of  the  rivers,  and  may  be  obtained 
from  thickly  strewn  drift  deposits.  For  some  years  a  fine 
molding  sand  was  obtained  north  of  School  street  in  Rockford, 
but  this  supply  is  now  exhausted.  About  two  miles  northeast 
of  the  city  there  is  a  large  surface  of  molding  sand,  which  has 
been  used  by  all  the  foundries  in  Rockford  for  the  past  ten 
years.  There  is  also  a  quantity  of  molding  sand  in  the  vicinity 
of  Rockton.  Lime  of  excellent  quality  is  obtained  in  large 
quantities  in  and  around  Rockford.  Near  Brown's  creek  there 
is  a  bed  of  white  clay;  and  good  red  brick  is  obtained  from  the 
clay  in  other  parts  of  the  county. 

There  is  also  a  supply  of  good  building  sand.  Limestone 
for  rubble  masonry  abounds  in  almost  unlimited  quantity  about 
Rockford.  Large  footing  stone  is  obtained,  but  nothing  for 
ornamental  purposes.  There  is  no  available  sandstone  in  the 
county.  There  is  a  general  uniformity  with  the  geological  for- 
mation of  the  Rock  river  valley.  Bog  iron  exists  around  many 
of  the  springs,  but  this  deposit  has  no  economic  value.  The 
ground  is  impregnated  with  iron,  which  is  soluble  in  water,  so 
that  it  disintegrates  lime  mortar  in  the  foundations  to  the 
extent  that  it  is  necessary  to  use  cement  in  place  of  lime  for 
foundations.  The  county  possesses  very  little  mineral  wealth. 
The  deposits  of  peat  are  not  of  great  value.  The  peat  is  not 
available  for  fuel,  and  can  only  be  used  as  a  fertilizer.  Copper 
in  its  pure  state  has  occasionally  been  found ;  but  there  is  no 
deposit  of  the  metal. 

The  topography  of  the  county  may  be  briefly  noted.  It  is 
well  watered  with  fine  streams.  Rock  river  enters  the  county 
about  six  miles  from  its  northeast  corner,  at  Beloit,  runs  nearly 
due  south  to  Rockford,  then  bends  gradually  to  the  west  and 
enters  Ogle  county.  It  affords  water-power  at  Beloit,  Rockton 
and  Rockford.  Pecatonica  river  enters  the  county  from  the 
west,  eight  miles  from  its  southwestern  corner,  and  flows  in  a 
general  easterly  and  northerly  course  about  twenty  miles,  and 
empties  its  turbid  waters  into  Rock  river  near  the  village  of 
Rockton.  Sugar  river  enters  the  county  from  the  northwest, 


INDIAN  NAMES. 


and  flows  into  the  Pecatonica  near  the  village  of  Harrison. 
Other  streams  are  Kishwaukee  river,  and  Killbuck,  Kent's, 
Keith's,  and  Kinnikinick  creeks. 

The  Indian  names  of  these  streams  have  their  significance. 
Pecatonica  means  the  "crooked  stream,"  or  "muddy  water." 
Siuissippi,  the  Indian  name  of  Rock  river,  signifies  "the  rocky 
river."  Kishwaukee  means  "clear  waters."  The  name  Winne- 
bago  is  translated  "fish-eater." 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  county  was  covered  with  timber 
of  various  qualities.  There  was  much  scattering  timber  and 
brush-land  in  the  northwestern  portion  along  Sugar  river  and 
its  tributaries,  and  on  portions  of  the  northern  bank  of  the 
Pecatonica.  This  area  is  interspersed  with  occasional  swampy 
tracts.  In  the  southern  portion  of  the  county,  along  and  near 
the  Kishwaukee  creeks,  the  face  of  the  country  is  rough,  hilly, 
brushy,  and  was  covered  with  an  occasional  growth  of  timber. 
A  few  miles  below  Rockford,  along  the  northern  bank  of  Rock 
river,  and  extending  north  and  west  from  the  same,  there  is  a 
tract  of  barrens  covered  with  brushwood,  and  a  light  growth 
of  white  oak  and  other  timber.  The  other  portions  of  the 
county  are  chiefly  prairie,  interspersed  with  small  and  beautiful 
groves.  For  agricultural  purposes  the  county  is  not  considered 
equal  to  Stephenson  on  the  west,  nor  "Little  Boone,"  its 
eastern  neighbor. 


CHAPTEK  III. 

THE  MOUND-BUILDERS  AND  THE  WINNEBAGO  INDIANS. 

PROF.  J.  W.  FOSTER,  in  his  Pre-historic  Races  of  the 
United  States,  says :  "The  subordinate  valleys  of  the  Rock 
river,  the  Fox,  Kankakee  and  Illinois,  show  abundant  evidence 
of  former  occupancy  by  the  Mound-builders,  and  whilst  the 
mounds  are  inconspicuous,  they  are  not  destitute  of  relics,  and 
the  human  remains  are  indicative  of  a  race  whose  skulls  are 
marked  by  peculiarities  which  distinguish  them  from  the  red 
man." 

Three  classes  of  mounds  were  found  in  Winnebago  county. 
There  was  the  common  round  mound,  from  ten  to  thirty  feet 
in  diameter,  and  from  two  and  a  half  to  five  feet  high.  These 
mounds  were. quite  numerous  along  the  banks  of  the  Rock, 
Kishwaukee  and  Pecatonica  rivers.  The  oblong-shaped  mound 
is  much  less  common,  but  is  frequently  remarkable  for  its  great 
length.  One  was  found  within  the  present  limits  of  Rockford 
which  measured  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  in  length,  twelve 
feet  wide  at  the  base,  and  three  or  four  feet  high.  Mounds  of 
the  third  class  have  a  fancied  resemblance  to  some  form  of 
animal  life,  and  are  called  "effigies."  The  most  common  forms 
of  these  are  called  Bird  and  Turtle  mounds,  and  are  found 
in  many  localities  in  the  county.  Some  fine  specimens  of 
this  class,  as  well  as  the  round  and  oblong  mounds,  are  still 
carefully  preserved  on  the  grounds  owned  by  the  Misses  Beattie 
and  Mrs.  Clara  G.  Sanford,  north  of  the  city  water- works,  on 
the  west  side  of  the  river.  The  round  mounds  were  frequently 
constructed  for  the  purpose  of  sepulture,  the  elongated  for 
circumvallation  or  as  "game-drives,"  while  the  effigies  were 
probably  ceremonial. 

A  number  of  archaeologists  believe  that  the  builders  of 
these  mounds  were  a,  race  inhabiting  this  country  before  the 
American  Indian;  and  in  the  absence  of  any  information  con- 
cerning their  origin,  they  are  denominated  "mound-builders." 
Other  recent  authorities  incline  to  the  opinion  that  the  mounds 


INDIAN  MOUNDS.  11 


were  constructed  by  the  ancestors  of  the  Indians.  Their 
earth-works  are  found  in  large  numbers  in  Rockford  and 
vicinity ;  there  are  probably  not  less  than  five  hundred  within 
the  limits  of  Winnebago  county.  These  earliest  inhabitants 
had  no  beasts  of  burden,  and  naturally  their  travel  and  traffic 
were  largely  by  canoe  up  and  down  the  rivers.  Their  settle- 
ments, therefore,  and  their  monumental  mounds  were  uniformly 
located  near  or  upon  the  river  banks ;  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
confluence  of  streams  these  united  evidences  of  a  dense  popula- 
tion are  generally  abundant.  Near  the  mouth  of  Kishwaukee 
river  more  than  one  hundred  have  been  surveyed  by  Prof.  T.  H. 
Lewis,  and  probably  as  many  existed  near  Rockton  before  their 
demolition  during  the  progress  of  railroad  construction  and 
other  improvements.  When  the  cut  was  made  in  East  Rockford 
in  grading  for  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  railroad  in  1852, 
many  mounds  were  destroyed ;  and  gruesome  evidence  of  the 
sepulchral  purpose  of  some  of  them  was  given  by  the  fragments 
of  human  skeletons  disinterred. 

Wiunebago  county  does  not  figure  prominently  in  Indian 
history.  The  Winnebagoes  occupied  it  as  a  portion  of  their 
reservation  at  one  time.  The  earliest  Winnebago  traditions 
relate  to  their  residence  at  Red  Banks,  on  the  eastern  shore  of 
Green  Bay,  in  Wisconsin,  where  they  traded  with  the  French. 
This  tribe  was  first  met  by  the  Jesuit  fathers  near  the  mouth 
of  Fox  river,  at  the  head  of  Green  Bay.  Confusion  may  arise 
from  the  fact  of  two  rivers  with  the  same  name  in  the  same 
state.  One  stream  rises  in  Waukesha  county  and  flows  in  a 
general  southerly  direction  and  enters  the  Illinois  river  at 
Ottawa.  The  other  rises  near  the  southern  boundary  of  Green 
Lake  county,  flows  westward  to  Portage  City,  thence  north- 
ward until  it  expands  into  Lake  Pacawa ;  after  a  tortuous 
course  it  enters  Lake  Winnebago,  issues  from  the  northern  end 
of  this  lake,  flows  northeastward  and  enters  Green  Bay.  These 
streams  are  distinguished  respectively  as  Fox  river,  and  Fox 
river  of  Green  Bay.  The  latter  is  always  understood  whenever 
the  name  is  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  history  of  this 
tribe. 

The  Winnebagoes  belonged  to  the  Dacota  or  Sioux  nation. 
During  the  era  of  authentic  history  they  wandered  to  southern 
Wisconsin  and  northern  Illinois  and  Iowa.  In  1812  the  Win- 
nebagoes of  Illinois  occupied  a  section,  of  which  this  county 
formed  a  part.  To  the  south  were  the  Illinois  tribes,  and  the 


12  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

disputed  territory  between  the  two  shifted  north  and  south  as 
the  fortunes  of  war  favored  the  one  or  the  other.  In  time,  how- 
ever, the  Winnebagoes  were  driven  well  back  within  the  present 
limits  of  Wisconsin,  and  were  subsequently  regarded  as  a  tribe 
of  that  state.  The  territorial  claims  of  these  contestants  were 
not  finally  settled  until  1825.  By  a  treaty  negotiated  at  Prairie 
du  Chien  August  19  of  that  year  between  the  United  States,  the 
Winnebagoes,  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  the  Pottawatomies  and 
other  attending  tribes,  the  boundaries  of  the  Winnebago  coun- 
try were  finally  determined.  Thus  wa.s  peace  established  after 
a  nearly  continuous  warfare  of  almost  two  centuries. 

The  records  of  the  interior  department  at  Washington  show 
not  less  than  twelve  treaties  negotiated  between  the  United 
States  and  the  Winnebagoes,  during  the  period  of  fifty-one  years 
from  1816  to  1867.  The  most  important  treaty  was  negotiated 
at  Prairie  du  Chieu,  August  1,  1829,  by  which  the  Winnebagoes 
ceded  to  the  United  States  certain  lands  in  Illinois,  of  which 
Winnebago  county  west  of  Rock  river  was  a  part.  The  consid- 
eration was  "eighteen  thousand  dollars  in  specie,  annually,  for 
the  period  of  thirty  years;  which  said  sum  is  to  be  paid  to  said 
Indians  at  Prairie  duChieri  and  Fort  Winuebaygo,  in  proportion 
to  the  numbers  residing  within  the  most  convenient  distance  of 
each  place  respectively;  and  it  is  also  agreed,  that  the  said 
United  States  shall  deliver  immediately  to  said  Indians,  as  a 
present,  thirty  thousand  dollars  in  goods ;  and  it  is  further 
agreed,  that  three  thousand  pounds  of  tobacco  and  fifty  barrels 
of  salt,  shall  be  annually  delivered  to  the  said  Indians  by  the 
United  States  for  the  period  of  thirty  years." 

Caleb  Atwater  was  one  of  the  commissioners  on  the  part  of 
the  United  States  government  in  negotiating  this  treaty.  In  a 
book  in  which  he  gives  an  account  of  the  proceedings  of  .this 
council  he  takes  occasion  to  remark  at  considerable  length  on 
the  beauty  and  force  of  Indian  oratory  as  displayed  on  that 
occasion.  He  says  their  persons  are  the  finest  forms  in  the 
world.  As  he  stands  erect,  with  eyes  flaming  with  ardor,  and 
a  mind  laboring  under  an  agony  of  thought,  the  Indian  is  a 
most  impressive  orator.  When  he  speaks  before  his  assembled 
nation  on  some  great  national  subject,  he  shows  most  forcibly 
that  he  feels  an  awful  responsibility  in  what  he  attempts  to 
advocate  in  behalf  of  his  people.  Mr.  Atwater  relates  that  he 
has  seen  a  chief,  when  he  approached  the  sale  of  his  country  in 
his  speech,  turn  pale,  tremble  with  fear,  and  sit  down  perfectly 


INDIAN  ELOQUENCE.  13 


exhausted  in  body  from  the  effect.  In  council  on  such  occasions, 
on  either  side  of  the  speaker,  sit  all  the  chiefs  and  warriors  of 
his  nation;  behind  him,  within  sound  of  his  voice,  sit  the  women 
and  children.  His  subject  then  becomes  of  the  highest  conceiv- 
able importance  to  himself  and  his  entire  nation.  In  such  a 
position  the  character  of  his  eloquence  is  easily  conceived.  It 
abounds  with  figures  drawn  from  every  object  which  nature 
presents  to  his  eye.  He  thanks  the  Great  Spirit  that  he  has 
given  them  a  day  for  holding  their  council  without  clouds  or 
with  few,  as  the  case  may  be;  that  the  several  paths  between 
their  homes  and  the  council  fire  have  been  unattended  with 
danger;  and  hopes  that  during  bis  absence  the  beasts  may  not 
destroy  his  corn,  nor  any  bad  bird  be  suffered  to  fly  about  the 
council  with  false  stories.  Thus  far  the  speaker  may  have  pro- 
ceeded without  enthusiasm ;  but  should  he  touch  upon  the  sale 
of  his  country,  his  whole  soul  is  in  every  word,  look  and  gesture. 
His  eye  flashes  fire,  he  raises  himself  upon  his  feet,  his  body  is 
thrown  in  every  attitude,  every  muscle  and  nerve  is  strained  to 
its  utmost  tension.  His  voice  is  clear,  loud,  distinct;  and  com- 
manding. He  becomes,  to  use  his  own  expressive  phrase,  a 
man.  Then  he  recalls,  with  deep  pathos  and  genuine  eloquence, 
the  time  when  his  ancestors  inhabited  the  entire  continent,  and 
how  they  have  been  driven  by  the  white  man  from  river  to 
river,  and  from  mountain  to  mountain,  until  they  now  have  no 
home  in  which  they  may  live  in  peace. 

Article  V.  of  the  treaty  at  Prairie  du  Chien  granted  sections 
of  land  to  certain  Indian  descendants  of  mixed  blood  who  did 
not  wish  to  migrate  with  their  tribe.  Thirty-six  of  these 
descendants  were  given  one  section  of  land  each ;  two  received 
two  sections  each ;  and  three  received  two  sections  jointly.  The 
total  grant  was  forty-two  sections,  divided  among  forty-one 
grantees.  These  grants  were  unlocated  or  "floating"  lands. 
From  this  fact  came  the  word  "float,"  by  which  these  sections 
were  popularly  known.  The  grantees  were  allowed  to  select  a 
section,  and  their  choice  was  to  be  approved  by  the  Indian 
commissioner  and  by  the  president  of  the  United  States.  There 
were  several  of  these  ''floats"  in  Rockford  township.  The  east 
half  of  section  fourteen  and  all  of  section  thirteen  west  of  Rock 
river,  containing  six  hundred  and  thirty-seven  acres,  were  located 
for  Catharine  Myott.  Further  reference  to  this  tract  will  be 
made  in  a  subsequent  chapter.  Section  twenty-one  was  located 
for  Therese  Leciier,  child  of  Mauh-nah- tee-see;  section  twenty- 


14  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

two  was  selected  for  James  Leciier ;  and  section  twenty-seven 
for  Simon  Leciier.  These  sections  now  comprise  the  most 
populous  and  wealthy  portions  of  West  Rockford,  with  its 
thousands  of  beautiful  homes.  There  were  other  "floats" 
located  in  this  immediate  vicinity,  some  of  which  may  be  noted. 
Section  eleven  in  Rockford  township  was  claimed  by  Domitille, 
child  of  John  Baptiste  Pacquette.  Besides  the  section  above 
mentioned,  Catharine  Myott  was  given  another  section,  of 
which  the  west  half  of  section  ten  forms  a  part.  One  section 
in  Winnebago  county  was  given  to  Brigitte,  the  child  of 
Hee-no-kau.  These  lands  could  not  be  sold  without  the  consent 
of  the  president  of  the  United  States.  The  Indians  were  the 
wards  of  the  nation,  and  the  approval  of  the  president  was 
required  by  the  treaty  for  their  protection  from  dishonest 
speculators;  but  this  precaution  was  not  always  successful. 
There  is  no  evidence  of  local  record  that  the  transfer  of  Brigitte's 
claim  by  the  original  grantee  has  ever  been  approved  by 
the  president.  A  full  list  of  these  "floats"  located  in  this  county 
may  be  obtained  from  the  Tract  Book  in  the  office  of  the 
circuit  clerk. 

Upon  the  close  of  the  Black  Hawk  war,  by  the  terms  of  the 
treaty  negotiated  by  General  Scott,  September  15,  1832,  the 
Winnebagoes  ceded  their  lands  lying  east  of  the  Mississippi,  in 
Wisconsin,  and  accepted  a  reservation  in  Iowa,  designated  as 
the  Neutral  Ground.  The  Winnebagoes  were  loth  to  emigrate, 
and  their  removal  was  finally  effected  by  the  goverment  in 
1837.  By  another  treaty,  concluded  November  1,  1837,  they 
finally  ceded  all  of  their  lands  lying  east  of  the  Mississippi  river. 
By  the  terms  of  this  treaty  they  were  to  remove  west  of  this 
river  within  eight  months  thereafter.  Their  reservation  was 
subsequently  changed  several  times,  until  in  1865  they  were 
permanently  located  on  their  Omaha  reservation  in  Nebraska. 
In  1890  there  were  twelve  hundred  and  fifteen  Winnebagoes 
on  this  reservation ;  and  nearly  an  equal  number  were  scattered 
over  Minnesota,  Iowa,  Wisconsin  and  Michigan,  where  they 
now  live  chiefly  by  agriculture,  with  a  strong  predilection  for 
hunting. 

The  Winnebagoes  were  men  of  good  stature  and  dignified 
bearing,  with  the  characteristic  black  hair,  black,  glistening 
eyes,  and  red  skins  of  the  Indian  race.  They  maintained  the 
position  of  a  tribe  of  independent  feelings  and  national  pride. 
The  claim  made  for  them  of  considerable  mental  capacity  is 


WINNEBAGO  NAMES.  15 


sustained  by  the  cranial  measurements  made  some  years  ago 
at  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  at  Philadelphia.  In  these 
examinations  their  crania  were  shown  to  have  an  average 
internal  capacity  of  eighty -nine  cubic  inches,  and  a  facial  angle 
of  seventy-nine  degrees. 

The  so-called  "Winnebago  war"  occurred  in  1827,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Galena.  It  was  more  of  a  scare  than  a  war,  and  has 
no  local  interest. 

For  many  years  after  the  Win nebagoes  had  removed  from 
this  section,  small  companies  would  occasionally  return  to  visit 
their  former  hunting-ground.  As  Israel  could  not  sing  the 
songs  of  Zion  in  a  strange  land,  so  these  red  men  of  the  forest 
could  not  forget  their  early  home.  The  love  of  country  and 
kindred  is  the  same  in  subject  or  in  king.  It  is  a  universal 
passion  that  makes  the  wide  world  kin.  The  Creator  hath 
made  of  one  blood  all  nations  of  men. 

The  Winnebago  has  given  a  name  to  a  lake,  afort,  a  village 
and  a  county  in  Wisconsin,  and  to  a  village,  a  township  and 
a  county  in  Illinois.  The  Wisconsin  Indian  village  is  the  pres- 
ent city  of  Beloit.  Fort  Winnebago  is  a  historic  spot.  Its  site 
is  within  two  miles  from  the  present  city  of  Portage,  Wisconsin. 
The  fort  was  built  in  1818-29,  at  the  solicitation  of  John  Jacob 
Astor,  of  the  American  Fur  Company,  to  protect  his  trade  from 
the  Winnebagoes.  Jefferson  Davis  was  one  of  the  first  lieuten- 
ants in  the  original  garrison. 


T 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR. 

I  HE  Sauk  or  Black  Hawk  war  directed  the  attention  of  east- 
ern settlers  to  the  Rock  river  valley.  The  history  of  this 
outbreak  also  has  a  local  interest  from  the  fact  that  this  famous 
Indian  warrior,  in  his  flight  from  Rock  Island,  followed  the 
general  course  of  Rock  river  through  this  county,  into  Wiscon- 
sin territory,  where  he  was  defeated  and  captured. 

Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiah,  or  Black  Hawk,  was  a  chief  of 
the  allied  tribes  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes.  He  was  born  at  the 
Sac  village,  on  the  site  of  Rock  Island,  in  1707.  About  1833  a 
book  was  published  at  Rock  Island,  which  purported  to  be  an 
autobiography  of  Black  Hawk.  Subsequent  editions  of  this 
work  have  been  published.  Governor  Ford,  however,  in  his 
History  of  Illinois,  places  libtle  value  upon  this  work.  He  says 
it  was  dictated  by  Colonel  Davenport,  an  old  Indian  trader,  and 
Antoine  Le  Clair,  a  United  States  interpreter  for  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes,  and  edited  and  published  by  J.  B.  Patterson.  Governor 
Ford  believed  that  Black  Hawk  knew  comparatively  little  of 
this  alleged  autobiography,  although  it  has  been  recognized  as 
authority  by  reliable  writers  upon  this  subject. 

The  Sacs,  according  to  an  Indian  tradition,  were  first 
placed  by  the  Great  Spirit  in  the  vicinity  of  Montreal.  Their 
enemies  conspired  to  drive  them  from  their  home  to  Mackinac 
and  other  points,  until  they  built  a  village  near  Green  Bay,  on 
what  is  now  Sac  river,  a  name  derived  from  this  circumstance. 

The  Foxes  were  first  found  on  the  northern  shore  of  Lake 
Ontario.  From  there  they  were  driven  to  Detroit,  thence  to 
Mackinac,  and  from  there  to  the  river  which  bears  their  name, 
at  a  point  near  its  entrance  into  Green  Bay.  The  Foxes  sub- 
sequently abandoned  their  village,  and  formed  a  treaty  of 
alliance  with  the  Sacs.  Neither  tribe  was  sufficiently  strong  to 
successfully  meet  its  enemies.  Hence  they  became  one  nation, 
and  the  bond  of  friendship  was  never  broken.  This  allied  tribe 
belonged  to  the  Algonquin  nation. 


&,-  // 

-/**  ,V' 

/*  ' 


TREATIES  WITH  THE  SAC  CHIEFS.  17 

The  Sacs  and  Foxes  remained  for  some  time  in  the  vicinity 
of  Green  Bay.  But  as  early  as  1718  they  had  obtained  a  firm 
footing  on  Rock  river.  A  party  of  young  men  descended  the 
Kock  to  its  mouth,  and  upon  their  return  they  presented  a 
favorable  report  of  the  country.  The  en  tire  tribe  then  migrated 
to  the  southwest,  drove  the  Kaskaskias  from  the  country,  and 
founded  a  village  on  the  point  of  land  at  the  confluence  of  Rock 
and  Mississippi  rivers.  At  the  beginning  of  this  century  the 
Sacs  and  Foxes  occupied  lands  in  northwestern  Illinois  lying 
between  the  Winnebagoes  and  the  Mississippi  river. 

In  1804  a  treaty  was  negotiated  at  St.  Louis  between 
William  Henry  Harrison  and  five  chiefs  of  the  Sac  and  Fox 
nation.  Mr.  Harrison  was  then  governor  of  the  Indiana 
Territory,  and  of  the  district  of  Louisiana,  superintendent  of 
Indian  affairs  for  the  district,  and  commissioner  plenipotentiary 
of  the  United  States  for  concluding  the  treaty.  By  this  treaty 
the  Sacs  and  Foxes  ceded  their  land  on  Rock  river  and  territory 
elsewhere  to  the  United  States.  The  treaty  provided  that  the 
Indians  should  retain  these  lands  until  they  were  required  for 
settlement.  During  the  war  of  1812  with  England,  through 
the  influence  of  Colonel  Dixon,  a  British  officer  at  Prairie  du 
Chien,  a  portion  of  this  tribe  allied  itself  with  the  English.  This 
faction  was  called  the  "British  Band,"  and  Black  Hawk  was  its 
acknowledged  leader.  The  other  portion  of  the  tribe  remained 
peaceable  during  the  war,  and  reaffirmed  the  treaty  of  1804  at 
Portage  des  Siouxs,  in  September,  1815.  The  hostile  warriors 
professed  repentance  for  their  violation  of  good  faith,  and  at  St. 
Louis,  in  May,  1816,  they  confirmed  the  treaty  of  1804.  A  small 
party,  however,  led  by  Black  Hawk,  persistently  denied  the 
validity  of  the  treaty  of  1 804  as  well  as  all  subsequent  agree- 
ments. He  contended  that  certain  chiefs,  while  at  St.  Louis  in  an 
intoxicated  condition,  were  induced  to  sell  the  Indian  country 
without  the  consent  of  the  nation.  Competent  authorities  have 
differed  concerning  the  equity  of  the  treaty  of  1804;  but  the 
Sacs  and  Foxes  as  a  nation  never  disavowed  it.  On  the  con- 
trary, they  reaffirmed  it  in  the  treaties  of  1815  and  1816. 

Amicable  relations  existed  between  the  Sac  and  Fox  nation 
and  the  United  States  from  the  close  of  the  war  with  England 
until  1830.  In  July  of  that  year  Keokuk,  another  Sac  chief, 
made  a  final  cession  to  the  United  States  of  the  lands  held  by 
his  tribe  east  of  the  Mississippi.  According  to  this  treaty,  his 
people  were  to  remove  from  Illinois  to  the  country  west  of  the 


18  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

Mississippi,  and  they  quietly  removed  across  the  river.  This 
treaty  was  negotiated  without  the  consent  of  Black  Hawk,  and 
he  determined  to  resist  the  order  of  the  government  for  the 
removal  of  his  tribe  west  of  the  Mississippi.  This  resistance 
brought  affairs  to  a  crisis. 

During  the  winter  of  1830-31  Black  Hawk  and  his  tribe 
left  their  village,  as  usual,  and  crossed  the  Mississippi  on  a 
hunting  expedition,  to  procure  furs  wherewith  to  pay  their 
debts  to  the  traders,  and  buy  new  supplies  of  goods.  They 
re-crossed  the  river  in  April,  and  on  their  return  they  found 
their  village  in  possession  of  the  pale-faces.  The  United  States 
had  caused  some  of  these  lauds,  which  included  the  chief  town 
of  the  nation,  to  be  surveyed  and  sold.  A  fur-trader  at  Rock 
Island  had  purchased  the  very  ground  on  which  their  village 
stood.  Black  Hawk  ordered  the  settlers  away,  and  destroyed 
their  property.  A  truce  was  arranged,  but  it  did  not  perma- 
nently settle  the  difficulty;  and  May  18 eight  settlers  addressed 
a  memorial  to  Governor  Reynolds,  in  which  they  stated  their 
grievances.  The  governor  immediately  communicated  with 
General  Gaines,  of  the  United  States  army,  who  was  then  in 
command  of  the  military  district.  General  Gaines  repaired  to 
Rock  Island  in  June,  with  a  few  companies  of  regular  soldiers. 
Upon  ascertaining  the  critical  situation,  he  called  upon  Gov- 
ernor Reynolds  for  mounted  volunteers.  The  governor  honored 
the  requisition,  and  in  response  to  his  call  fifteen  hundred  vol- 
unteers from  the  northern  and  central  counties  rallied  to  his 
support  at  Beardstown,  and  were  placed  under  command  of 
General  Duncan,  of  the  state  militia.  This  army,  after  a  few  days' 
march,  joined  General  Gaines  below  Rock  Island,  where  the  two 
generals  formed  a  plan  of  action.  General  Gaines  took  posses- 
sion of  the  village  June  26 ;  but  Black  Hawk  and  his  band  had 
quietly  departed  during  the  night  in  their  canoes  for  the  west- 
ern shore  of  the  Mississippi,  where  they  raised  the  white  flag  of 
truce.  They  subsequently  re-crossed  the  river,  and  thus  claimed 
protection.  June  30  General  Gaines  negotiated  a  treaty  with 
Black  Hawk  and  his  chiefs  and  braves,  by  which  they  agreed  to 
remain  forever  on  the  western  side  of  the  river;  and  never 
to  re-cross  it  without  permission  from  the  president  of  the 
United  States  or  the  governor  of  the  state.  Notwithstanding 
the  treaty,  in  the  spring  of  1832  Black  Hawk  attempted  to 
re-assert  his  right  to  his  former  territory. 

Hostilities  began  in  April,  when  Black  Hawk  and  his  band 


DEFEAT  AT  STILLMAN'S  RUN.  19 

re-crossed  tbe  Mississippi,  under  pretense  of  paying  a  visit  to 
his  Winnebago  friends  in  Wisconsin.  The  manifest  purpose  of 
this  visit  was  to  form  an  alliance  with  the  Winnebagoes  in 
offensive  warfare.  General  Atkinson,  who  was  then  in  com- 
mand of  Fort  Armstrong,  sent  messengers  to  warn  Black  Hawk 
to  return.  The  warrior  did  not  heed  the  warning,  but  contin- 
ued his  march  until  he  reached  Dixon's  Ferry,  where  his  braves 
encamped.  The  news  of  Black  Hawk's  return  to  Illinois  reached 
Governor  Reynolds,  who  raised  a  force  of  eighteen  hundred 
men,  under  command  of  General  Whiteside.  This  army  arrived 
at  Dixon  on  the  12th  of  May.  Meanwhile  Black  Hawk  had 
departed  and  encamped  on  Rock  river  thirty  miles  above. 

While  at  Dixon  an  ambitious  officer  named  Stillinan  asked 
the  privilege  of  making  a  reconnoissance  on  Black  Hawk's 
camp.  It  was  granted  with  reluctance,  and  Major  Stillman 
started  with  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  men  on  the  advent- 
ure. When  the  volunteers  approached  the  camp  of  Black  Hawk, 
he  sent  a  party  of  six  men  to  meet  them,  under  protection  of  a 
white  flag.  By  some  mistake,  undisciplined  volunteers  fired 
upon  them,  and  two  were  killed  while  in  retreat.  Black  Hawk 
was  justly  indignant,  and  he  resisted  the  attack  with  his  usual 
spirit.  The  result  was  the  slaughter  of  eleven  volunteers,  and 
the  others  fled  in  confusion.  This  was  the  first  blood  drawn  in 
the  Black  Hawk  war.  On  the  following  day  General  Whiteside 
led  his  entire  force  to  the  scene,  near  a  creek  since  called  "Still- 
man's  Run."  To  this  day  the  visitor  to  the  little  village  of 
Stillman  Valley  is  shown  the  spot  where  the  eleven  soldiers  are 
supposed  to  have  been  buried.  No  stone  marks  the  place,  and 
it  is  known  only  by  tradition. 

The  news  of  the  Indian  war  spread  rapidly  throughout  the 
east,  and  the  administration  sent  nine  companies  to  the  scene, 
under  command  of  General  Scott.  He  arrived  at  Fort  Dearborn 
in  Chicago,  July  8.  The  cholera  had  broken  out  among  his 
men  on  the  way,  and  he  was  thus  detained  at  the  fort.  As  soon 
as  the  cholera  had  subsided  General  Scott  removed  his  quarters 
from  Fort  Dearborn  to  the  banks  of  Desplaines  river.  From 
there  he  sent  the  main  body,  under  command  of  Colonel  Cum- 
mings,  to  the  site  of  Beloit,  then  a  deserted  Winuebago  village. 
At  that  point  orders  came  from  the  general  in  chief  command 
for  the  army  to  march  down  Rock  river  to  Fort  Armstrong  on 
Rock  Island,  at  which  place  General  Scott  had  arrived  by  a 
hasty  march  across  the  country  by  way  of  Naperville. 


20  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

The  further  details  of  this  war  will  be  briefly  noted.  Black 
Hawk  retreated  up  Rock  river  into  Wisconsin,  and  was  hotly 
pursued.  The  army  trail,  made  in  following  Black  Hawk's 
band  to  the  head-waters  of  the  Rock,  passed  through  the  First 
ward  of  Rockford.  Stephen  Mack  was  the  guide.  This  trail 
met  the  river  bank  above  the  city  at  the  dry  run  which  is  now 
bridged  on  North  Second  street,  near  the  residence  of  H.  H. 
Hamilton.  In  July  Black.  Hawk  determined  to  try  to  save 
himself  by  crossing  the  Mississippi  river.  He  was  overtaken  at 
Blue  Mounds,  on  Wisconsin  river,  by  General  Henry's  division. 
A  battle  ensued  on  the  21st,  in  which  the  Sac  chief  lost  fifty 
warriors  while  crossing  the  river. 

Black  Hawk  continued  his  retreat  after  the  battle  until  he 
was  again  overtaken  August  2,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Bad  Axe 
river,  in  Wisconsin.  In  the  battle  which  followed  nearly  the 
entire  remnant  of  Black  Hawk's  army  was  killed  or  drowned 
in  attempting  to  cross  the  river.  Black  Hawk  fled  to  Prairie 
La  Cross,  a  Winnebago  village,  where  he  surrendered  to  Chaetar 
and  One-eyed  Decora,  two  Winnebago  chiefs,  who  delivered  him 
to  General  Street,  the  Indian  agent  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  August 
27.  The  campaign  had  lasted  seventy-nine  days. 

The  speech  of  Black  Hawk,  addressed  to  General  Street,  at 
Prairie  du  Chieii,  after  his  defeat  at  the  battle  of  the  Bad  Axe, 
is  a  splendid  specimen  of  Indian  eloquence,  and  reveals  a 
patriotism  unsurpassed  by  the  "noblest  Roman."  Eloquence 
is  born  of  strong  passion,  and  is  never  a  trick  of  rhetoric  nor 
a  mere  intellectual  feat.  The  following,  from  this  humiliated 
savage,  is  worthy  of  Burke  or  Webster : 

"You  have  taken  me  prisoner  with  all  my  warriors.  .  .  I 
fought  hard.  But  your  guns  were  well  aimed.  The  bullets  flew 
like  birds  in  the  air,  and  whizzed  by  our  ears  like  the  wind 
through  the  trees  in  the  winter.  My  warriors  fell  around  me ; 
it  began  to  look  dismal.  I  saw  my  evil  day  at  hand.  The 
sun  rose  dim  on  us  in  the  morning,  and  at  night  it  sunk  in  a 
dark  cloud,  and  looked  like  a  ball  of  fire.  That  was  the  last 
sun  that  shone  on  Black  Hawk.  His  heart  is  dead  and  no 
longer  beats  quick  in  his  bosom.  He  is  now  a  prisoner  to  the 
white  men ;  they  will  do  with  him  as  they  wish.  But  he  can  stand 
torture,  and  is  not  afraid  of  death.  He  is  no  coward.  Black 
Hawk  is  an  Indian.  .  .  Farewell,  my  nation!  Black  Hawk 
tried  to  save  you,  and  avenge  your  wrongs.  He  drank  the 
blood  of  some  of  the  whites.  He  has  been  taken  prisoner,  and 


DEATH  OF  BLACK  HAWK.  21 

his  plans  are  stopped.  He  cau  do  no  more.  He  is  near  his  end. 
His  sun  is  settiiig,  and  he  will  rise  no  more.  Farewell  to  Black 
Hawk ! " 

On  the  10th  of  September  the  Indian  prisoners  were  taken 
to  Jefferson  Barracks,  below  St.  Louis.  From  there  Black  Hawk 
was  sent  to  Washington,  where  he  was  presented  to  President 
Andrew  Jackson.  April  26, 1833,  he  was  sent  to  Fortress  Mon- 
roe, where  he  remained  until  the  4th  of  June,  when  he  was 
permitted  to  return  to  his  people.  Upon  hie  return  he  was 
restored  to  his  tribe  as  a  chief  subordinate  to  Keokuk.  Black 
Hawk  died  October  3, 1838,  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years. 
He  was  dressed  for  burial  in  a  uniform  presented  to  him  when 
in  Washington  by  the  president.  The  body  was  placed  in  the 
middle  of  the  grave,  in  a  sitting  posture,  on  a  seat  constructed 
for  this  purpose.  On  his  left  side,  the  cane  given  him  by  Henry 
Clay,  was  placed  upright,  with  his  right  hand  resting  upon  it. 
Many  of  the  old  warrior's  trophies  were  placed  in  the  grave. 

Black  Hawk  was  free  from  many  of  the  vices  that  others  of 
his  race  contracted  from  their  association  with  the  white  people. 
He  never  used  intoxicants  to  excess.  As  a  warrior  he  knew  no 
fear,  and  on  the  field  of  battle  his  feats  of  personal  prowess 
stamped  him  as  the  "bravest  of  the  brave."  In  social  relations 
he  was  affable  and  true.  His  devotion  to  his  wife,  with  whom 
he  lived  more  than  forty  years,  was  strong  and  manly.  In  the 
home  he  was  an  affectionate  husband  and  father. 

The  Black  Hawk  war  made  no  military  reputations ;  but 
Zachary  Taylor  and  Abraham  Lincoln  bore  an  humble  part. 
Mr.  Lincoln  never  alluded  to  it  as  anything  more  than  an  inter- 
esting episode  in  his  life.  In  satirizing  the  military  pretensions 
of  another,  he  said :  "Do  you  know,  Mr.  Speaker,  I  too  am  a 
military  hero  ?  .  .  I  fought,  bled  and  came  away.  If  he  saw 
any  live  fighting  Indians,  it  was  more  than  I  did ;  but  I  had  a 
good  many  bloody  struggles  with  the  mosquitoes." 


CHAPTER  V. 

STEPHEN  MACK.— JOHN  PHELP8. — JOSEPH  KEMP. 

C  TEPHEN  MACK  was  the  first  white  man  who  made  a  per- 
^3  manent  settlement  in  Winnebago  county.  The  exact  date 
is  unknown,  but  it  was  probably  about  1829.  It  is  also  quite 
certain  that  he  was  the  first  settler  in  the  Rock  river  valley. 
The  student  of  local  history  is  indebted  to  Edson  I.  Carr,  who 
has  given  in  his  History  of  Rockton  the  best  information  con- 
cerning this  adventurer;  and  the  author  is  indebted  to  Mr.  Carr 
for  many  of  the  facts  given  in  this  chapter. 

Mack  was  born  in  Poultney,  Vermont,  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  last  century.  He  was  for  a  time  a  student  at  Dartmouth 
college,  but  it  does  not  appear  that  he  was  ever  graduated. 
His  love  of  adventure  was  shown  in  early  life.  Soon  after  the 
war  of  1812  he  came  to  Detroit  with  his  father,  who  held  a 
position  under  the  government.  The  younger  Mack  subse- 
quently joined  a  government  expedition  around  the  lakes  from 
Detroit  to  Green  Bay.  While  there  Mack  learned  from  traders 
that  the  Rock  river  country  presented  favorable  opportunity 
for  a  trading  post.  He  accordingly  made  the  journey  with  an 
Indian  pony,  and  arrived  at  a  pointTiear  the  site  of  Janesville ; 
thence  to  Turtle  Village,  near  what  is  now  Beloit.  While  there 
he  learned  of  an  Indian  camp  to  the  south,  at  Bird's  Grove, 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  mouth  of  Pecatonica  river, 
and  he  started  for  that  point.  He  lost  the  trail  and  descended 
the  Rock  until  he  came  to  a  Pottawatomie  village  at  Grand 
Detour,  where  he  remained  several  years.  Mack  established 
trade  with  the  Indians,  and  took  their  furs  in  exchange  for 
merchandise.  His  journey  to  and  from  Chicago  were  made  by 
Indian  ponies.  During  this  time  Mack  married  Ho-no-ne-gah, 
a  daughter  of  the  Pottawatomie  chief.  This  alliance,  however, 
did  not  establish  a  perpetual  bond  of  friendship  between  Ma.ck 
and  the  tribe.  He  incurred  the  enmity  of  the  red  men  because 
he  refused  to  sell  them  whisky  and  firearms.  While  on  a  trip 
to  Chicago  a  plan  was  laid  to  murder  him  and  take  his  goods. 
His  faithful  Indian  wife  discovered  the  plot.  She  mounted  a 
pony,  met  him  a  considerable  distance  from  the  camp  and  gave 
him  warning.  Together  they  started  for  the  camp  of  the  Win- 
nebagoes  at  Bird's  Grove.  There  they  were  made  welcome  and 
given  protection,  and  there  they  made  their  home. 


CHARACTER  OF  HO-NO-NE-GAH.  23 

Ho-no-ne-gah,  though  born  of  a  savage  race,  exhibited 
traits  of  a  more  refined  womanhood.  She  was  a  true  wife,  and 
thoroughly  devoted  to  her  home  and  children.  Her  husband's 
tribute  of  devotion  was  sincere.  She  was  modest  and  disliked 
to  appear  conspicuous.  She  knew  the  remedies  which  the  Great 
Spirit  had  spread  before  her  in  nature,  and  with  these  she 
visited  the  sick.  The  needy  were  also  blessed  by  her  gracious 
ministry.  Ho-no-ne-gah  always  wore  the  habit  of  her  race. 
Only  once  was  she  known  to  don  the  dress  of  her  white  sisters. 
But  she  felt  so  ill  at  ease  that  she  soon  cast  it  aside,  and  ever 
afterward  appeared  in  the  attire  of  her  tribe.  Mrs.  Jesse  Blinn, 
who  still  remembers  her,  testifies  to  her  excellent  taste  in  dress 
and  to  her  skill  in  the  use  of  the  needle. 

Upon  the  outbreak  of  the  Black  Hawk  war,  Mack  was  living 
at  peace  with  his  Winnebago  friends.  Black  Hawk  visited  this 
tribe  in  his  flight  up  Rock  river,  and  attempted  to  induce  the 
warriors  to  accompany  him  into  Wisconsin.  Mack  opposed 
this  alliance,  and  thereby  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  Sac 
chief.  The  Winnebagoes  remained  at  their  old  camp,  and  Black 
Hawk  proceeded  without  them.  But  the  feeling  was  so  strong 
against  Mack  during  this  visit  of  Black  Hawk  that  the  chief  of 
the  Winnebagoes  advised  him  to  leave  the  camp  for  personal 
safety.  There  is  a  story  that  he  sought  seclusion  on  what  is 
now  called  Webber's  Island,  where  he  was  supplied  with  food  by 
his  wife  until  the  storm  had  passed.  It  is  not  certain  whether 
this  is  history  or  romance. 

Mack  foresaw  that  a  speedy  settlement  of  the  Rock  river 
valley  would  follow  the  Black  Hawk  war.  The  Pecatonica  was 
then  considered  a  navigable  stream  for  one  hundred  miles  from 
its  mouth,  and  Rock  river  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  into 
Wisconsin  Territory.  Mack  believed  that  the  bluff  at  the  mouth 
of  Pecatonica  river  was  an  available  site  for  a  town.  Accord- 
ingly in  the  autumn  of  1835  he  took  possession  of  this  tract, 
upon  which  he  resided  until  his  death.  He  planted  a  village, 
which  was  called  Macktown.  The  place  still  retains  this  name, 
although  the  promising  settlement  of  sixty  years  ago,  save  the 
old  substantial  farm  house,  has  disappeared.  Mack  had  a  bold 
policy  of  expansion,  and  valued  a  corner  lot  near  his  store  at 
one  thousand  dollars.  When  he  was  told  that  his  land  wa«too 
uneven  for  a  town,  he  replied  that  "it  is  far  better  than  Mil- 
waukee/' 

Mack  engaged  in  various  business  enterprises.    He  kept  a 


24  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

general  store  and  did  a  successful  business.  He  brought  his 
goods  from  Chicago  on  Indian  ponies,  before  the  advent  of 
wagons.  In  1838  he  established  a  ferry  across  Rock  river, 
which  was  managed  for  a  time  by  William  Hulin.  It  was  then 
purchased  by  Jesse  Blinn,  who  carried  on  the  business  under  a 
license  issued  by  the  county  commissioners' court.  About  1842 
Mack  built,  mainly  at  his  own  expense,  a  bridge  in  the  place  of 
the  ferry.  This  was  the  first  bridge  across  Rock  river  in  the 
state.  This  structure  was  carried  away  by  a  freshet  June  1, 
1851.  Another  bridge,  which  had  been  built  previous  to  the 
freshet  one  mile  farther  down  the  river,  changed  the  course  of 
travel,  and  Macktown  fell  into  decline. 

Political  honors  came  to  Stephen  Mack.  He  was  elected 
associate  justice  in  1849,  and  held  the  office  until  his  death. 
He  was  appointed  the  first  township  treasurer  of  the  school 
fund  of  Rockton.  Upon  the  adoption  of  township  organization 
in  1850,  he  was  a  candidate  for  supervisor,  but  was  defeated  by 
a  few  votes  by  Sylvester  Talcott. 

Mack  had  takenHo-no-ue-gahtobehis  wife  under  the  Indian 
form  of  marriage.  In  order  to  fully  protect  the  title  of  his 
children  to  his  estate,  he  and  his  wife  were  re-married  September 
14, 1840,  by  William  Hulin,  a  justice  of  the  peacet  This  action, 
however,  was  probably  unnecessary.  It  is  a  principle  in  inter- 
national law  that  a  marriage  is  recognized  as  legal  whenever  it 
is  held  to  be  such  in  the  country  in  which  it  was  solemnized. 
This  principle  would  be  applied  to  the  marriage  rite  among 
Indians  and  similar  races.  On  the  4th  of  April,  1840,  Mack 
executed  his  will.  The  full  text  of  this  instrument  is  given  in 
Mr.  Carr's  History  of  Rockton.  By  this  will  he  divided  his 
property  equally  among  his  wife  and  eight  children. 

Ho-no-ne-gah  died  in  1847.  She  was  the  mother  of  eleven 
children,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Louisa  and  Mary  were 
students  at  Rockford  seminary  for  a  time,  but  their  free  Indian 
nature  could  not  long  endure  such  restraint.  Louisa  and  her 
husband,  according  to  latest  information,  were  residing  in 
Chippewa  county,  Wisconsin.  Caroline,  the  youngest,  was  a 
babe  when  her  mother  died. 

In  1848  Mack  married  Mrs.  Daniels,  of  Harrison.  The  cer- 
emony was  performed  at  Beloit.  His  subsequent  domestic  life 
was  not  as  happy  as  it  had  been  with  Ho-no-ne-gah.  February 
14, 1849,  Mack  executed  a  codicil  to  his  will.  Since  the  date  of 
the  former  instrument  changes  had  occurred  in  his  family. 


MACK'S  LIFE  A  MYSTERY.  25 

Three  children  had  been  born,  one  child  and  Ho-no-ne-gah  had 
died,  and  he  had  remarried.  The  codicil  equally  divided  his 
estate  among  his  wife  and  children. 

Stephen  Mack  died  very  suddenly  April  10,  1850.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  owned  land  in  several  adjoining  sections, 
which  aggregated  about  one  thousand  acres.  He  was  buried 
on  his  farm  beside  his  Indian  wife.  Thirty  years  later,  May  19, 
1880,  their  remains  were  removed  and  buried  in  the  Phillips 
cemetery,  near  Harrison. 

Many  reasons  have  been  given  why  this  educated  gentleman 
of  New  England  should  have  sought  a  life  on  the  frontier,  and 
married  a  woman  of  a  savage  race.  It  is  said  death  claimed 
the  idol  of  his  first  love.  Others  believe  an  insidious  appetite 
drove  him  to  this  western  wilderness.  It  may  have  been  a  keen 
foresight  by  which  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  marvelous  devel- 
ment  of  the  west.  Whatever  the  motive,  he  kept  his  secret 
until  he  passed  beyond  the  judgment  of  men.  His  career  was 
strange  and  romantic.  He  is  remembered  as  dignified  in  bearing, 
genial  and  courteous,  a  kind  husband  and  father,  a  true  friend, 
and  an  honest  man. 

In  the  summer  of  1833  John  Phelps.  in  company  with  a 
Frenchman,  started  down  Pecatonica  river  from  Mineral  Point, 
Wisconsin,  in  a  canoe,  on  a  voyage  of  discovery.  These  men 
descended  the  Rock,  and  made  a  brief  stop  at  the  mouth  of  the 
creek  where  Gerrnanicus  Kent  and  Thatcher  Blake  located 
claims  a  year  later.  Mr.  Phelps  and  his  companion  were  pleased 
with  the  site,  and  would  have  located  there  had  it  not  been 
for  the  scarcity  of  timber.  For  this  reason  they  continued  their 
journey  down  the  river,  and  selected  a  site  now  occupied  by  the 
town  of  Oregon,  in  Ogle  county. 

Neither  Mack  nor  Phelps  ever  lived  within  the  limits  of 
Rockford ;  but  a  history  of  the  city  would  scarcely  be  complete 
without  a  record  of  the  facts  given  in  this  chapter. 

Joseph  Kemp  was  in  this  section  from  1830  to  1840,  and 
again  from  1842  to  1844.  He  has  not  been  in  this  county  since 
the  latter  date.  Mr.  Kemp  first  came  from  a  point  below  Rock 
Island  on  the  Mississippi,  then  to  Rockford  by  way  of  Rock 
river.  He  did  not,  however,  permanently  reside  in  what  is  now 
the  city  of  Rockford.  In  July,  1899,  he  was  still  living,  at  Mich- 
igan City,  in  his  eighty-ninth  year,  and  was  seen  by  Charles  L. 
Williams. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

GERMANICUS  KENT  AND  THATCHER  BLAKE. 

IT  was  stated  at  the  beginning  of  Chapter  IV.  that  the  Black 
Hawk  war  was  the  immediate  occasion  of  the  settlement  of 
the  Rock  river  valley.  There  were,  however,  remote  and  more 
general  causes.  The  peace  following  the  great  Napoleonic  con- 
flict in  Europe  had  stimulated  emigration  to  this  country. 
President  Monroe's  administration  had  passed  into  history  as 
the  "era  of  good  feeling."  The  Erie  canal  and  the  construction 
of  railroads,  steamboats  and  stage  lines  had  created  a  period 
of  expansion.  The  great  undeveloped  northwest,  east  of  the 
Mississippi  river,  was  then  quite  well  known,  and  presented  a 
splendid  opportunity  for  capital  and  enterprise.  Illinois  occu- 
pied a  central  position.  The  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal  had 
been  chartered,  and  a  large  number  of  railroads  had  been 
subsidized  by  the  state.  A  tide  of  inflated  prosperity  was 
swiftly  carrying  every  department  of  industry  and  speculation 
toward  the  financial  breakers  of  1837.  Under  these  conditions 
the  actual  history  of  Rockford  began. 

Germanicus  Kent  was  born  of  English  ancestry  in  Suffield, 
Connecticut,  May  31,  1790,  nearly  one  hundred  and  ten  years 
ago.  In  early  manhood  he  went  from  his  native  state  to  New 
York.  In  1819  he  went  from  there  to  the  south  with  testimonials 
of  first-class  business  ability.  He  first  stopped  for  a  short  time 
in  Blacksburg,  Virginia.  About  1822  Mr.  Kent  went  to  Hunts- 
ville,  Alabama,  where  he  was  for  some  years  engaged  in  the  dry 
goods  business  in  partnership  with  Preston  Yeatman.  June 
7, 1827,  Mr.  Kent  married  Miss  Arabella  Amiss,  who  was  born 
in  Culpepper,  Virginia,  April  9,  1808.  The  ceremony  was  per- 
formed at  Blacksburg.  Mr.  Kent  was  subsequently  a  partner 
in  the  firm  of  Patton,  Donegan  &  Co.,  at  the  Bell  Cotton  factory 
on  Flint  river,  about  nine  miles  from  Huntsville.  The  firm 
owned  a  dry  goods  store  at  Huntsville  at  the  same  time,  but 
Mr.  Kent  was  not  personally  interested  in  it.  It  has  been  said 
Mr.  Kent  was  nn  abolitionist,  but  this  statement  is  not  fully 


FIRST  ARRIVAL  IN  ROCKFORD.  27 

established.  At  one  time  he  owned  several  slaves,  and  brought 
one  of  them  to  this  state. 

Mr.  Kent  went  from  Alabama  to  Galena,  Illinois,  where  his 
brother,  the  Rev.  Aratus  Kent,  a  Presbyterian  clergyman,  was 
stationed  as  a  home  missionary'.  This  brother  was  deeply 
interested  in  higher  education,  and  his  name  will  re-appear  in 
this  book.  At  the  time  Aratus  Kent  left  Hun tsville  he  possessed 
an  amount  of  ready  money  that  was  considered  a  competence 
for  those  days. 

Thatcher  Blake  was  born  at  Turner,  Oxford  county,  Maine, 
March  16, 1809.  He  resided  in  his  native  state  until  1834, 
when  he  started  for  the  west  by  way  of  Boston,  Albany,  Buf- 
falo, Cleveland,  Cincinnati,  Louisville  and  St.  Louis.  At 
St.  Louis  he  conversed  with  the  soldiers  who  had  been  in  the 
Black  Hawk  war,  who  gave  interesting  descriptions  of  the  Rock 
river  country  and  Galena.  The  latter  was  then  being  rapidly 
populated  by  reason  of  its  extensive  lead  mines.  Mr.  Blake 
therefore  visited  Galena.  There  he  became  acquainted  with 
Germanicus  Kent.  This  acquaintance  ripened  into  friendship, 
and  they  arranged  to  explore  the  Rock  river  valley. 

In  June,  1834,  these  gentleman  started  from  Galena,  in  a 
democrat  wagon,  on  their  tour  of  exploration.  They  went 
north  into  Wisconsin  Territory  to  the  Pecatonica  river,  about 
four  miles  from  what  was  then  known  as  Hamilton's  Diggings, 
a  small  mining  village  operated  by  a  son  of  Alexander  Hamil- 
ton. A  man  named  Ransom  had  settled  on  the  Pecatonica  at 
this  point,  of  whom  they  procured  a  canoe.  Their  purpose 
was  to  explore  the  Pecatonica  and  Rock  rivers  with  a  view  of 
settlement  if  the  country  should  meet  their  expectations.  Their 
first  landing  was  at  a  point  now  included  in  the  city  of  Freeport. 
It  was  then  an  Indian  camp,  known  as  Winneshiek's  Village. 
Winneshiek  was  the  name  of  a  chief  of  a  band  of  Indians  which 
numbered  from  two  to  three  hundred.  Mr.  Kent  went  ashore 
and  explored  the  country  some  distance  from  the  river.  The 
Indians  gathered  about  Mr.  Blake  in  such  numbers  that  he 
became  alarmed,  and  was  compelled  to  row  from  the  shore  and 
remain  in  the  middle  of  the  stream,  as  a  precaution  against 
robbery  of  their  moderate  supply  of  provisions.  From  Winne- 
shiek's Village  they  continued  their  journey  and  made  frequent 
landings  to  explore  the  country.  They  ascended  the  Pecatonica 
to  its  junction  with  Rock  river,  and  came  down  the  latter  until 
they  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  small  tributary  to  which  the 


28  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

name  of  Kent's  creek  was  subsequently  given.  They  selected  a 
site  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  Rock  river  was  then  consid- 
ered navigable  and  a  waterway  to  the  north  and  south.  The 
site  of  Rockford,  on  a  navigable  stream,  midway  between  Chi- 
cago and  Galena,  was  at  once  recognized  as  possessing  superior 
advantages.  Kent  and  Blake  then  proceeded  down  the  stream 
to  Dixon's  Ferry,  which  received  its  name  from  John  Dixon,  the 
first  white  settler  of  Lee  county,  who  located  at  that  point  in 
the  spring  of  1830.  There  they  sold  their  canoe  and  returned 
overland  to  Galena,  by  the  road  leading  from  Peoria  which 
crossed  Rock  river  at  that  point.  This  trip  covered  nine  days. 

Soon  after  their  return  to  Galena  they  prepared  for  a  second 
journey.  They  procured  supplies,  and  with  a  heavily  laden 
lumber  wagon  and  a  single  span  of  horses,  they  started  over- 
land for  their  new  El  Dorado.  There  were  no  roads,  nor  even 
Indian  trails.  Their  route  was  the  Galena  and  Dixon  line  of 
travel  as  far  as  Chambers'  Grove.  From  this  point  they  took 
a  northeasterly  course  through  an  unknown  country.  Their 
journey  covered  four  days.  On  the  evening  of  Sunday,  August 
24,  these  pioneers  arrived  at  their  destination.  The  party  con- 
sisted of  Germanicus  Kent,  Thatcher  Blake,  a  Mr.  Evans,  and 
another  man  whose  name  is  unknown. 

The  settlement  of  Rockford  was  not  a  romantic  adventure. 
These  men  wore  no  badges  of  eminence.  They  were  not  flattering 
courtiers  of  a  foreign  prince,  and  possessed  no  commissions  or 
patents.  They  did  not  thrust  their  swords  into  the  virgin  soil 
and  solemnly  take  possession  in  the  name  of  an  alien  king. 
They  did  not  kiss  the  earth  in  token  of  devotion,  nor  recite  to 
the  empty  air  the  purpose  of  their  coming.  There  were  no 
wintry  skies,  no  breaking  waves,  nor  stern  and  rock-bound 
coast.  They  were  not  exiles  from  the  land  of  their  birth,  nor 
did  they  seek  the  treasures  of  the  mine.  Neither  did  they  come 
in  quest  of  a  faith's  pure  shrine  nor  freedom  to  worship  God. 
Kent  came  to  build  a  sawmill,  and  Blake  was  a  tiller  of  the 
soil.  The  significance  of  their  coming  was  in  the  fact  that  they 
came  to  stay.  Thus  did  Germanicus  Kent  and  Thatcher  Blake 
make  the  first  actual  and  permanent  settlement  in  what  is  now 
the  city  of  Rockford.  In  this  quiet,  prosy  way  did  these  sturdy 
pioneers  illustrate  Goethe's  observation  that  the  ideal  can  only 
come  from  the  development  of  the  real. 

Mr.  Kent  was  the  ruling  spirit  in  this  enterprise.  He  was 
then  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  had  already  proven  himself  to  be 


SALE  OF  INDIAN  "FLOATS."  29 

a  thoroughgoing  man  of  affairs.  With  Dante  he  could  say : 
"In  the  midway  of  this  our  mortal  life  I  found  me  in  a  gloomy 
wood."  Mr.  Kent  was  the  director  and  provider  of  those  who 
were  to  begin  the  work  of  transformation  from  the  "gloomy 
wood"  to  the  Forest  City.  Those  who  came  with  him  were 
drawing  pay,  and  were  without  expense.  It  was  otherwise  with 
Mr.  Kent.  Every  day  brought  its  expense,  and  no  income.  He 
had  sold  his  southern  home,  and  his  family  at  Galena  was 
patiently  awaiting  developments.  He  could  not  retrace  his 
steps.  He  could  only  look  to  the  future,  and  trust  for  the  best. 
Mr.  Kent  kept  a  journal,  and  under  date  of  August  18,  1834, 
he  writes:  "Hired  Mr.  Blake  at  eighteen  dollars  per  month  to 
live  with  me  on  Rock  river,  to  take  charge  of  my  business,  and 
to  do  all  kinds  of  work,  to  remain  with  me  from  one  month  to 
twenty-four  months." 

Both  Kent  and  Blake  located  claims.  Mr.  Kent's  claim 
comprised  a  tract  of  land  which  included  the  Tinker  estate  and 
the  water-power,  and  extended  south  to  Montague's  Addition ; 
on  the  west  it  included  the  estate  now  owned  by  the  family  of 
the  late  Judge  Church,  and  extended  north  to  half  section  line ;  the 
eastern  line  followed  the  bank  of  the  river.  Mr.  Kent,  however, 
only  held  temporary  squatter's  possession  of  this  tract,  and 
he  obtained  full  legal  title  to  only  a  small  portion  of  it.  Mr. 
Kent's  name  does  nob  appear  prominently  in  the  real  estate 
transactions  of  his  time,  except  as  the  agent  of  others.  Sections 
twenty-one,  twenty-two  and  twenty-seven,  which  include  a 
large  portion  of  West  Rockford,  were  Indian  "floats,"  to  which 
reference  was  made  in  a  preceding  chapter.  These  sections  were 
sold  by  their  respective  owners  to  Daniel  Whitney,  of  Green 
Bay,  Wisconsin,  for  eight  hundred  dollars  each.  The  deeds 
were  executed  February  12, 1840.  Mr.  Whitney  gave  power  of 
attorney  to  Charles  S.  Hempstead,  of  Galena.  Mr.  Hempstead , 
through  Kent  and  Brinckerhoff  as  agents,  sold  the  greater  part 
of  these  sections  to  Isaac  N.  Cunningham,  Abiram  Morgan  and 
Richard  Montague,  who  became,  in  a  sense,  the  proprietors  of 
the  corresponding  portion  of  West  Rockford. 

Mr.  Blake's  claim  included  parts  of  sections  twenty  and 
twenty-nine.  A  claim  was  made  in  the  autumn  of  1834  by  Mr. 
Kent  for  an  English  gentleman  named  John  Wood,  of  Hunts- 
ville,  Alabama.  Mr.  Wood,  however,  did  not  take  possession 
of  this  claim  until  the  following  spring.  The  first  work  done 
by  these  pioneers  was  theerectionof  two  log  cabins.  Mr.  Kent's 


30  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

cabin  was  on  a  site  directly  east  of  Mrs.  Tinker's  brick  house, 
and  was  removed  when  South  Main  street  was  opened.  Mr. 
Blake's  cabin  was  built  in  the  grove  on  the  claim  which  he  had 
chosen. 

During  the  autumn  and  winter  Mr.  Kent  made  trips  to 
Chicago  and  Galena.  He  employed  a  number  of  workmen,  who 
had  come  from  Galena,  in  various  kinds  of  work.  Among  these 
was  the  construction  of  a  dam  and  a  sawmill  on  Kent's  creek. 
The  timber  for  the  mill  was  cut  from  the  grounds  now  occupied 
by  Rockford  college.  In  the  following  January,  when  the  ice 
was  sixteen  inches  thick,  a  sudden  thaw  swept  away  the  dam. 
To  this  day  the  observer  will  notice  that  the  rock  at  the  bottom 
of  the  creek,  near  the  Swiss  cottage,  shells  off,  and  the  force  of 
the  water  and  ice  made  a  deep  hole  in  the  bottom  of  the  creek. 
The  stream  was  then  twice  or  three  times  its  present  width,  and 
its  current  was  proportionally  stronger.  Such  was  the  fate  of 
Rockford's  first  dam,  which  was  built  very  near  the  spot  where 
Hon.  Robert  H.  Tinker's  suspension  bridge  spans  the  stream. 
Early  in  the  following  spring  workmen  began  digging  the  race ; 
the  construction  of  the  second  dam,  just  below  the  first,  was 
undertaken  in  June,  and  the  mill  was  completed  in  July.  When 
the  dam  was  completed  the  water  arose  so  as  to  make  a  twelve- 
foot  head,  and  covered  the  laud  now  occupied  by  the  several 
railroads  as  switch-yards.  The  water  sometimes  backed  nearly 
to  State  street.  Several  years  later  the  citizens  determined  to 
remove  this  dam,  because  they  believed  it  bred  malaria;  and 
this  resolution  was  executed  without  due  process  of  law. 

Besides  the  cabins  already  noted,  Mr.  Kent  began  the  erec- 
tion of  another  and  better  log  house,  in  the  fall  of  1834,  which 
was  completed  the  following  spring.  This  structure  consisted 
of  an  upright  and  a  wing,  and  was  considered  an  uncommonly 
good  house  for  those  days.  Mr.  Kent's  family  probably  came 
from  Galena  in  Ma,y,  1835.  Mr.  Blake  boarded  in  the  family 
for  two  years,  and  only  occupied  his  own  cabin  in  the  grove 
when  he  found  it  more  convenient  to  do  so  while  tilling  his  land. 
The  business  of  the  settlement  during  the  first  years  included  a 
general  store,  a  blacksmith  shop,  sawmill,  a  primitive  hotel, 
a  crude  system  of  banking,  and  mail  facilities  of  a  private  sort. 
All  these  were  under  the  general  proprietorship  of  Mr.  Kent. 

It  may  be  safely  said  that  few  men  in  trade,  commerce  or 
manufacturing  survived  the  financial  crash,  and  the  depression 
which  swept  over  the  country  in  1837  and  later.  Mr.  Kent  was 


MR.  RENTS  REVERSES.— HIS  DEATH.  31 

poorly  prepared  for  the  storm.  His  ready  capital  had  become 
exhausted,  and  he  was  now  in  debt  for  money,  merchandise 
and  property.  His  goods  had  been  sold  on  credit,  and  collec- 
tions were  impossible.  His  property  was  depreciated  and 
unsalable,  and  embarassment  and  failure  were  unavoidable. 
Mr.  Kent  made  the  best  settlement  of  his  affairs  possible  under 
the  circumstances,  and  honestly  surrendered  everything.  His 
capital  which  he  brought  with  him,  his  buildings  and  improve- 
ments, his  plans  and  preparations,  and  even  his  prospects  were 
gone ;  and  he  saw  no  star  of  hope  in  the  Rockford  which  he  had 
founded  and  helped  to  build ;  no  opportunities  which  he  might 
retrieve.  And  so  in  1844  he  bade  her  along  and  sad  farewell  and 
went  to  Virginia,  where  he  made  his  home  the  remainder  of  his 
life.  He  engaged  in  trade  in  Craig,  Fayette  and  Montgomery 
counties.  Mre.  Kent  died  in  Blacksburg,  Virginia,  May  26, 
1851.  Mr.  Kent  lived  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Mary  Irby  Black, 
the  last  five  years  of  his  life,  in  feeble  health,  in  Blacksburg, 
where  he  died  March  1, 1862. 

This  man  will  ever  stand  foremost  in  the  history  of  Rock- 
ford,  in  point  of  time  and  early  events.  In  his  character  and 
life  there  are  are  elements  that  arrest  and  fix  attention,  and 
which  merit  grateful  remembrance.  Kent  school,  in  South 
Rockford,  Kent's  creek  and  Kent  street  are  named  in  his  honor. 

Fortune  was  more  kind  to  Mr.  Blake.  He  resided  on  his 
farm, until  1851,  when  he  removed  into  Rockford  and  engaged 
in  real  estate  business.  For  two  years  preceding  his  death  Mr. 
Blake  operated  extensively  in  timber  lands  in  Wisconsin.  Mr. 
Blake  died  October  8, 1880,  Mrs.  Blake  was  living  in  Novem- 
ber, 1899,  at  an  advanced  age,  and  feeble  in  mind  and  body. 
Mrs.  Clarence  Bean  is  their  daughter.  The  Blake  school  is 
named  in  honor  of  Thatcher  Blake. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

PICTURESQUE    HOCKFORD.— ITS  FLORA  AND  FAUNA. 

MOST  of  the  country  around  Rockford  was  originally  prairie. 
The  first  settlers  found  the  west  side  of  what  is  now  the 
city  largely  wooded,  reaching  south  below  Knowlton  street, 
and  north  as  far  as  Fisher  avenue,  and  extending  west  beyond 
the  creek,  and  to  the  high  ground  of  South  Rockford,  and  up 
the  south  branch ;  also  on  the  East  side  from  near  State,  south 
to  Keith's  creek,  and  east  to  creek  and  to  Sixth  street.  North 
of  State,  on  the  flat,  was  wood  and  brush  up  as  far  as  the 
brewery.  John  H.  Thurston  gives  this  vivid  description  of  the 
east  side  of  the  river  as  it  appeared  in  the  spring  of  bis  arrival : 
"The  season  of  1837  opened  early,  and  as  the  earth  became 
clothed  in  green,  it  presented  the  most  beautiful  landscape  I 
have  ever  seen.  Innumerable  flowers  dotted  the  scene  in  every 
direction.  What  is  now  the  Second  ward  was  covered  with 
tall,  thrifty  white  oak  timber.  The  fires  had  killed  most  of  the 
underbrush,  and  it  was  a  magnificent  park  from  Kishwaukee 
street  west  to  the  river,  and  from  Walnut  street  south  to  the 
bluffs  at  Keith's  creek." 

Rock  river  is  a  historic  waterway,  and  presents  a  great 
variety  of  picturesque  scenery.  Southey's  apostrophe  may  be 
addressed  to  her:  "Thou  art  beautiful,  queen  of  the  valley! 
thou  art  beautiful."  The  Rock  has  practically  two  heads:  the 
smaller,  in  a  rustic  stream  which  flows  from  the  north  into 
swamp-girted  Lake  Koshkonong ;  the  larger,  in  the  four  lakes 
at  Madison,  the  charming  capital  of  Wisconsin,  which  empty 
their  waters  into  the  Avon-like  Catfish  or  Yahara,  which  in  turn 
pours  into  the  Rock  below  Lake  Koshkonong.  The  river,  at 
Rockford,  before  it  was  dammed,  was  nine  or  ten  feet  below  its 
present  level,  and  about  four  rods  narrower,  with  clear  gravel 
bed,  and  no  mud  or  swamp  about  its  shores.  The  water  was 
very  clear  and  pure  before  the  cultivation  of  the  land  on  its 
banks  had  caused  the  wash  of  soil  bv  the  rains.  There  is  an 


REMINISCENCE  OF  MARGARET  FULLER.  33 

interesting  historic  spot  on  the  river  some  miles  below  Rock- 
ford.  Margaret  Fuller  visited  Oregon  in  1843.  There  she  found 
new  themes  for  her  muse.  At  the  riverside  there  is  a  fine  spring 
whose  waters  are  cool  and  unfailing.  On  the  bluff  above  it 
today  are  growing  gnarled  and  twisted  cedars.  In  the  branches 
of  one  there  was  an  eagle's  next.  Beneath  its  shade  Margaret 
Fuller  wrote  her  poem,  "Ganymede  to  his  Eagle."  The  spring 
still  sends  forth  its  pure  stream,  and  hundreds  of  people  visit 
the  spot.  Under  the  shadow  of  the  trees  which  falls  upon  the 
pool,  they  read  the  marble  tablet  set  in  the  solid  rock  above, 
which  bears  this  inscription:  "Ganymede's  Springs,  named 
by  Margaret  Fuller  (Countess  d'  Ossoli),  who  named  this  bluff 
Eagle's  Nest,  and  beneath  the  cedars  on  its  crest  wrote  'Gany- 
mede to  his  Eagle,'  July  4,  1843." 

The  level  at  the  intersection  of  State  and  Madison  streets, 
on  the  East  side,  was  about  ten  feet  higher  than  at  present.  At 
the  intersection  of  State  with  First  the  level  was  about  ten  feet 
lower  than  it  is  today.  Between  these  two  points  the  ground 
was  six  feet  above  its  present  level.  From  the  river  bank  to 
Madison  was  therefore  quite  a  steep  ascent.  West  of  the  river, 
the  ground  was  low,  as  it  now  appears  at  the  knitting  facto- 
ries, and  so  continued  nearly  to  Main  street,  as  it  yet  remains 
in  some  places. 

South  of  the  depot  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad, 
on  the  West  side,  and  from  ten  rods  west  of  Main  street,  the 
land  was  low,  only  a  little  above  the  creek,  with  the  exception 
of  the  ridge  near  the  creek.  When  the  dam  was  built  this  area 
was  called  the  pond.  This  depression  has  been  filled,  and  the 
site  is  mainly  devoted  to  railroad  purposes. 

The  bluffs  at  the  college  grounds  descended  steep  to  the 
water's  edge,  unbroken  and  unworn.  They  were  covered  with 
grass,  brush  and  trees  on  the  top  and  sides.  There  were  many 
red  cedars,  some  of  which  were  large  and  gnarled.  The  whole 
formed  a  pleasant  and  romantic  spot. 

At  first  there  were  no  roads,  and  the  first  track  would  be 
followed  until  a  road  was  worn  or  a  change  made.  The  cross- 
ing of  streams  and  sloughs  was  difficult.  East  of  the  city,  and 
running  nearly  parallel  with  the  river,  was  a  wagon  road  made 
by  the  army  wagons  and  trains  at  the  time  the  troops  under 
Major  Smith  passed  on  their  way  to  the  battle  of  the  Bad  Axe,  in 
Wisconsin,  in  1832,  where  Black  Hawk  was  defeated.  This  road, 
however,  did  not  run  on  the  line  needed  by  the  settlers,  and  it 


34  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

was  soon  obliterated.  The  Indian  trails  were  of  little  use.  The 
red  men  always  went  single  file,  so  that  their  trails  were  but 
narrow  paths,  and  of  no  special  value  to  the  settlers.  These 
trails  were  easily  traceable  as  late  as  1840,  and  possibly  later. 

Few  antiquities,  save  arrows  and  hammers,  were  found,  and 
the  early  race  left  little  to  mark  its  occupation  of  this  region . 
Only  a  small  number  of  Indian  graves  were  found,  and  these  did 
not  indicate  careful  burial.  Some  traces  of  burying  on  scaffolds 
and  in  trees  were  supposed  to  remain ;  but  little  information 
can  be  obtained  upon  this  point.  The  headless  Big  Thunder 
skeleton  sat  in  his  stockade  on  the  court  house  mound  in  Bel- 
videre  as  late  as  the  autumn  of  1838.  But  neither  his  renown 
as  a  warrior  and  chief,  nor  common  reverence  for  the  dead,  pro- 
tected his  bones  or  marked  their  grave. 

The  Indians  had  taken  their  final  departure  previous  to 
1834.  There  were  afew  Pottawatomies  in  the  vicinity  of  Rock- 
ton.  Rock  river  was  apparently  the  dividing  line  between  the 
Pottawatomies  and  the  Winnebagoes.  The  latter  had  removed 
to  their  western  reservation.  Those  who  occasionally  returned, 
singly  or  in  small  companies,  to  revisit  their  former  home,  were 
harmless  to  the  settlers. 

Wild  flowers  were  abundant,  both  on  the  prairies  and  in  the 
woods.  They  were  of  great  variety  and  beauty.  Hickory- 
nuts,  butternuts,  black  walnuts  and  hazelnuts  were  plenty.  In 
fruits,  there  were  crab  apples,  wild  plums,  thorn  apples,  grapes, 
blackberries,  raspberries  and  strawberries. 

Game  was  plenty.  It  consisted  of  deer,  wolves,  wildcats, 
otter,  coon,  muskrat,  squirrel,  woodchuck,  wild  geese,  ducks, 
crane,  heron,  plover,  snipe,  prairie  hens,  partridges,  quail,  loon, 
gull,  and  pigeons.  Mr.  Thurston  says :  "Having  never  shot  a 
game  bird  previous  to  my  arrival  in  Rockford,  the  vast  quan- 
tity of  feathered  game  which  I  saw  migrating  northward  in 
the  spring  of  1837  excited  my  unbounded  surprise  and  admi- 
ration." Fish  of  the  varieties  now  found  in  this  locality  was 
abundant.  Wild  honey  was  obtained  in  considerable  quantity. 
The  small  birds  then  found  still  remain,  except  those  taken  for 
game.  Snakes  were  quite  numerous.  The  rattlesnake  and  the 
massasauga  were  poisonous,  and  the  blowing  adder  and  a 
variety  of  water  snake  were  also  so  considered.  Today  a  snake 
is  rarely  seen,  except  in  woodland  and  on  river  bottoms. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

DANIEL  SHAW  HAIGHT.— OTHER  SETTLERS  OF  1835. 

THE  first  settler  of  what  is  now  East  Rockford  was  Daniel 
Shaw  Haight,  who  arrived  April  9,  1835.  Mr.  flaight 
caine  to  Illinois  from  Bolton,  Warren  county,  New  York.  A 
year  or  two  previous  to  his  appearance  on  Rock  river  he  had 
selected  a  claim  near  Geneva,  Kane  county.  Hesold  this  claim, 
and  in  compan}'  with  two  or  three  men,  he  came  to  Rockford 
on  a  tour  of  inspection.  He  selected  a  tract  of  land,  which 
comprised  a  large  part  of  what  is  now  the  First  and  Second  wards. 
Mr.  Haight  went  back  to  Geneva  for  his  family,  and  in  May  he 
returned  to  Rockford  with  his  wife  and  child ;  Miss  Carey,  who 
was  Mrs.  Haight's  sister,  and  a  hired  man.  Mrs.  Mary  Haight 
and  her  sister  were  the  first  white  women  to  settle  in  the  county, 
as  it  is  supposed  they  preceded  by  two  or  three  weeks  the  arrival 
of  Mrs.  Kent.  Mrs.  Haight  appears  to  have  been  equal  to  the 
duties  and  trials  of  pioneer  life.  She  had  no  acquaintance  with 
books  or  literature ;  but  she  possessed  a  good  mind,  and  was 
alert,  shrewd,  and  affable  to  strangers.  Mr.  Haight  was  a 
rugged,  roistering  pioneer,  and  a  shrewd  man  of  affairs. 

Upon  his  arrival  Mr.  Haight  put  up  a  tent  under  a  large 
bur  oak  tree,  which  his  family  occupied  until  his  cabin  was 
completed.  This  dwelling,  built  in  the  summer  of  1835,  was 
the  first  structure  on  the  East  side.  It  was  built  on  the  eastern 
part  of  the  lot  which  now  forms  the  northeast  corner  of  State 
and  Madison  streets.  This  spot  was  at  the  brow  of  the  table- 
land, from  which  the  descent  was  rapid  toward  the  river.  The 
house  was  built  in  regular  pioneer  style,  without  the  use  of 
a  single  nail.  The  main  part  was  about  eighteen  feet  square, 
built  of  oak  logs.  It  had  a  puncheon  floor,  two  windows  and 
a  door.  The  cellar  was  simply  an  excavation  under  the  centre. 
"Such  a  house,"  says  Mr.  Thurston,  "may  be  built  with  an 
axe  and  an  auger,  and  is  a  warm,  comfortable  dwelling. 
Haight  made  an  addition  in  '36,  with  a  space  between  ten 
feet  wide  and  roofed  over,  which  had  a  shingle  roof  and  floor 


36  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

of  sawed  lumber."  Mr.  Haight's  second  house  was  on  the  north- 
east corner  of  State  and  Madison  streets.  It  was  a  frame 
structure,  and  completed  in  1837  by  Thomas  Lake  and  Sidney 
Twogood.  This  house  was  divided  and  a  portion  removed  to 
the  northeast  corner  of  Walnut  and  Second  streets.  It  is  the 
oldest  frame  structure  now  standing  in  Rockford. 

The  first  public  religious  service  in  Rockford  was  held  the 
second  Sunday  in  June,  1835,  at  the  house  of  Germanicus  Kent, 
and  was  conducted  by  his  brother,  the  Rev.  Aratus  Kent,  of 
Galena.  It  has  been  said  that  on  that  day  every  soul  in  Rock- 
ford  attended  divine  worship.  The  audience  comprised  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Kent,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haight,  Miss  Carey,  Thatcher  Blake, 
Albert  Sanford,  Mr.  VanZandt,  who  was  Mr.  Kent's  millwright, 
a  man  in  the  em  ploy  of  Mr.  Haight,  and  two  other  persons  whose 
names  are  unknown.  Thus  it  will  be  noted  that  in  early  June, 
1835,  there  were  less  than  a  dozen  persons  in  Rockford.  This 
small  number  may  be  explained  by  the  supposition  that  several 
workmen,  who  had  been  temporarily  employed  by  Mr.  Kent, 
had  removed  from  the  settlement. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  the  name  of  every  settler  in  what  is 
now  Rockford  township  at  the  close  of  the  first  year  after  Mr. 
Kent's  arrival.  In  the  autumn  of  1834  Mr.  Kent  solicited  a 
number  of  his  southern  friends  to  settle  in  the  rising  colony. 
Reference  was  made  in  Chapter  VI.  to  John  Wood.  Another 
gentleman  who  thus  responded  was  James  B.  Martyn.  He  was 
a  native  of  the  County  of  Cornwall,  England,  and  had  emigrated 
to  Huntsville,  Alabama,  where  he  had  made  the  acquaintance 
of  Germanicus  Kent.  Mr.  Martyn  arrived  in  Rockford  late  in 
the  summer  of  1835.  He  subsequently  removed  to  Belvidere, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  milling  business. 

James  Boswell  and  James  Wood  also  came  from  the  south 
about  this  time.  Mr.  Boswell  settled  on  a  claim  about  half  a 
mile  north  of  State  street,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  imme- 
diately above  Dr.  Haskell's  orchard.  Thenext  year  Mr.  Boswell 
traded  with  Mr.  Spaulding  for  property  directly  opposite,  on 
the  east  side  of  the  river. 

Eliphalet  Gregory  was  born  in  Danbury,  Connecticut, 
April  23,  1804.  He  came  from  New  York  in  June,  with  his  fam- 
ily. His  claim  extended  east  one-half  mile  from  Kishwaukee 
street,  and  south  from  State  to  his  brother  Samuel's  claim. 
His  first  log  house  was  near  Keith's  creek,  between  Sixth  and 
Seventh  avenues,  and  west  of  Seventh  street.  A  part  of  his  later 


THE  FIRST  PHYSICIAN.  87 

grout  house  still  stands  on  Charles  street.  Mr.  Gregory  died 
February  16,  1876. 

Samuel  Gregory  arrived  in  Kockford  December  8th.  His 
claim  was  approximately  bounded  by  what  are  now  Sixth  and 
Fourteenth  avenues,  and  Ninth  street  and  Churchill  Place.  His 
log  house  was  on  Seventh  avenue,  by  Keith's  creek,  between 
Ninth  and  Tenth  streets.  Mr.  Gregory  spent  his  last  years  in 
Pekin,  New  York,  where  he  died  in  May,  1886.  His  sons  are: 
Delos  S.,  John  Clark,  Homer,  and  James  B.  There  were  also 
four  daughters :  Mrs.  Delia  A.  Johnson,  deceased ;  Mrs.  Addie 
S.  Witwer,  of  Chicago ;  Mrs.  Edna  J.  Hulbert,  deceased ;  and 
one  who  died  in  infancy. 

Ephraim  Wyman  arrived  in  September.  He  was  a  native 
of  Lancaster,  Massachusetts.  In  1824,  when  he  was  fifteen 
years  of  age,  he  removed  to  Keene,  New  Hampshire,  and  from 
there  he  came  to  Rockford.  He  followed  the  business  of  baker 
from  1835  until  1850.  In  the  latter  year  he  went  to  California, 
where  he  remained  three  years.  Mr.  Wyman  owned  and  platted 
a  tract  of  land  in  the  heart  of  West  Rockford,  to  which  reference 
will  be  made  in  a  subsequent  chapter.  A  street  on  the  West 
side  bears  his  name.  Mr.  Wyman  was  county  treasurer  and 
assessor  in  1844-45.  In  his  last  years  he  was  afflicted  with 
blindness.  Mr.  Wyman  was  a  worthy  gentleman,  and  is  kindly 
remembered.  He  died  in  the  autumn  of  1898.  Mrs.  Wyman 
still  resides  in  Rockford.  Their  only  child  died  when  less  than 
four  years  old. 

Levi  Moulthrop,  M.  D.,  had  the  distinction  of  being  the 
first  resident  physician  in  Winnebago  county,  as  now  organ- 
ized. Dr.  Whitney  had  probably  preceded  him  at  Belvidere, 
which  at  that  time  was  included  in  Winnebago  county.  Dr. 
Moulthrop  was  descended  from  Mathew  Moulthrop,  who  settled 
at  Quinnipiac,  now  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  April  18,  1638, 
and  who  was  one  of  the  original  signers  of  the  Plantation 
Covenant,  ratified  June  4,  1639.  Dr.  Moulthrop  first  came 
to  this  county  in  the  autumn  of  1835,  and  permanently  settled 
here  in  the  following  spring.  He  was  born  near  Litchfield, 
Connecticut,  November  1, 1805.  He  received  his  early  educa- 
tion in  his  native  town,  and  completed  a  course  of  medicine 
and  surgery  at  Fairfield  college,  in  the  state  of  New  York.  In 
the  spring  of  his  arrival  in  this  county,  he  settled  upon  a  claim 
of  several  hundred  acres  near  Kishwaukee,  now  in  New  Milford 
township,  and  began  the  practice  of  medicine.  June  30,  1840, 


38  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNT!. 

Dr.  Moulthrop  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret,  eldest  daughter 
of  Sampson  George,  and  died  after  a  brief  illness,  September 
12th  of  the  same  year.  His  son,  Levi  Moulthrop,  was  born  in 
the  spring  of  the  following  year.  Dr.  Moulthrop  is  said  to  have 
brought  the  first  copy  of  Shakespeare  into  the  county.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and 
a  communicant  of  the  Episcopal  church. 

Richard  Montague  came  July  1st  from  Massachusetts,  and 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  near  the  city.  A  street  in  South 
Rockford,  an  island  in  Rock  river  and  a  ward  school  bear  his 
name.  Mr.  Montague  died  July  16,  1878.  His  son,  S.  S.  Mon- 
tague, became  an  expert  railroad  surveyor. 

Adam  Keith  came  from  Indiana.  He  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, in  1795.  From  there  he  went  to  Ohio,  thence  to  Indiana. 
His  name  was  given  to  Keith's  creek.  Mr.  Keith  removed  from 
Illinois  to  Wisconsin  in  1846.  He  died  at  Beaver  City,  Nebraska, 
in  1883,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years. 

William  E.  Dun  bar  settled  in  what  is  now  South  Rockford, 
and  was  a  leader  in  the  organization  of  the  county.  Mr.  Dunbar 
served  as  county  recorder  from  1839  to  1843.  He  died  Octo- 
ber 16, 1847. 

P.  P.  Churchill  was  born  in  Vermont  in  1804.  He  pre- 
empted a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  east  of  the  city. 
Mr.  Churchill  died  January  11, 1889.  He  is  remembered  for  his 
simple  ways,  kind  heart  and  upright  life. 

Among  other  settlers  in  the  township  during  the  year  were: 
John  Vance,  John  Caton,  Joseph  Jolly,  Charles  Hall,  Lewis 
Haskins,  Milton  Kilburn,  William  Smith,  Luke  Joslin,  Israel 
Morrill,  D.  A.  Spaulding,  Lova  Corey,  Alonsou  Corey,  Abel 
Campbell,  EzraBarnum,  Anson  Barnum,  James  Taylor,  William 
Hollenbeck,  John  Hollenbeck,  V.  Carter,  Joseph  F.  Sanford,  Jon- 
athan Corey,  Daniel  Beers,  Mason  Tuttle,  and  Mr.  Noble.  The 
following  were  also  employed  by  Mr.  Kent  during  the  year : 
Squire  Garner,  Gaylor,  Perry,  Norton,  Phineas  Carey,  Jefferson 
Garner,  Nathan  Bond,  Charles  J.  Fox,  James  Broadie  and  wife. 
All  these  were  not  within  the  present  city  limits,  but  they  were 
residents  in  the  vicinity.  They  made  the  hamlet  their  place  of 
trade,  and  assisted  in  its  growth. 

The  foregoing  list,  however,  did  not  comprise  the  total 
population  of  the  county.  Settlements  had  been  made  in  nearly 
all  the  townships.  In  June,  1860,  Judge  Church  delivered  an 
historical  address  before  the  early  settlers.  At  that  time  Judge 


SETTLERS  IN  THE  TOWNSHIPS.  39 

Church  gave  the  following  list  of  settlers  in  what  are  now  the 
different  townships,  in  September  of  1835 :  New  Milford :  Sam- 
uel Brown,  William  K.  Wheeler,  Richard  Hogaboom,  Phineas 
M.  Johnson,  John  Adams,  John  B.  Long,  Mr.  Paddleford,  James 
Campbell;  Guilford:  Henry  Enoch,  William  E.  Enoch,  J.  A. 
Pike,  Abraham  I.  Enoch,  John  Kelsoe,  Mr.  Rexford,  Colonel 
James  Sayre,  Abel  C.  Gleason,  John  Brink,  William  G.  Blair ; 
Butler,  now  Cherry  Valley:  Joseph  P.  Griggs ;  Harlem :  William 
Mead,  ChaunceyMead,  Zemri  Butler;  Roscoe:  Robert  J.  Cross, 
Robert  Logan,  Elijah  H.  Brown,  William  Brayton  ;  Rockton : 
Thomas  B.  Talcott,  William  Talcott,  Henry  Talcott,  John  F. 
Thayre,  Isaac  Adams,  Pearly  P.  Burnham,  Darius  Adams, 
David  A.  Blake,  Ellison  Blake,  John  Kilgore,  John  Lovesse ; 
Owen:  James  B.  Lee,  Richard  M.Walker;  Burritt:  Isaac  Hance, 
John  Mclntosh,  A.  M.  Sherman,  John  Manchester  and  family, 
Elias  Trask,  Alva  Trask ;  Lysander,  now  Pecatonica :  Ephraim 
Sunmer,  William  Sumner,  Mrs.  Dolly  Guilford,  Elijah  Guilford, 
Thomas  Hance;  Elida,  now  Winnebago:  David  A.  Holt;  How- 
ard, now  Durand :  Harvey  Lowe,  Nelson  Salisbury,  who  made 
claims  in  1835,  but  did  not  occupy  them  until  the  spring  of  1836. 
These,  with  their  families,  property,  houses,  and  other 
improvements,  made  that  first  short  period  determine  all  the 
future.  They  possessed  and  enjoyed  the  land.  Others  were 
following  close  behind.  The  future  seemed  promising,  and  they 
had  only  to  prepare  for  it.  Considerable  ground  was  broken 
for  cultivation ;  but  the  newly  broken  soil  was  of  little  use  until 
its  turf  had  rotted  and  mellowed.  There  was  thus  probably 
little  raised  that  year  in  crops,  except  possibly  sod  corn,  pota- 
toes, vines  and  garden  vegetables.  Winter  wheat,  however,  was 
sown  for  the  following  spring. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  PIONEERS  OP  1836. 

THE  tide  of  emigration,  which  may  be  said  to  have  begun  in 
1835,  continued  for  several  years.  When  the  Rockford 
Society  of  Early  Settlers  was  organized,  January  10, 1870,  its 
constitution  provided  that  male  residents  of  the  county  who 
settled  therein  previous  to  1840  were  eligible  to  membership. 
In  this  and  the  preceding  chapter  is  given  a  partial  list  of  those 
who  came  previous  to  and  including  1836.  In  succeeding 
chapters  will  be  published  an  incomplete  roster  of  settlers  of 
1837-39,  inclusive.  According  to  the  Old  Settlers'  standard 
of  eligibility  to  membership,  these  names  belong  to  the  historic 
roll  of  honor. 

One  of  the  first  emigrants  of  this  year  came  from  the  old 
world.  Thomas  Lake  was  a  native  of  Blackford,  in  the  Parish 
of  Selworthy,  County  of  Somerset,  England.  He  sailed  from 
Bristol  in  1832,  and  arrived  in  New  York  after  a  voyage  of 
seven  weeks  and  three  days,  just  as  the  cholera  was  beginning 
its  westward  march  with  such  alarming  fatality.  Mr.  Lake's 
reminiscences  of  the  time  between  his  arrival  in  New  York  and 
his  settlement  in  Rockford  four  years  later,  is  a  vivid  picture  of 
the  hardships  of  pioneer  life.  Soon  after  his  arrival  in  Chicago 
in  October,  1835,  he  met  an  old  acquaintance,  Sidney  Two- 
good,  from  Cleveland.  Mr.  Lake  also  saw  Dr.  J.  C.  Goodhue, 
whom  he  had  called  to  see  Mrs.  Lake,  who  was  ill.  The  Doctor 
advised  Mr.  Lake  to  settle  in  Rockford.  He  and  his  friend 
Twogood  accepted  this  advice  and  arrived  in  Rockford,  and 
for  a  time  they  followed  the  carpenter's  trade.  Mr.  Lake  also 
took  up  a  claim,  which  was  subsequently  known  as  the  Willis 
Smith  farm,  and  now  owned  by  P.  Byron  Thomas.  Mr.  Lake 
died  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Jane  Lake,  in  Guilford, 
in  the  autumn  of  1886. 

Herman  B.  Potter  was  a  native  of  Connecticut.  He  reached 
Rockford  in  October.  Mr.  Potter  purchased  a  farm  about  two 
miles  south  of  State  street  on  the  Kishwaukee  road.  Later  he 


SELDEN  M.  CHURCH.  41 


came  to  the  city  and  built  a  house  where  the  First  Congrega- 
tional church  now  stands.  This  home  was  purchased  by  Mrs. 
Chamberlain.  Mr.  Potter  was  a  prominent  citizen  in  the  early 
history  of  the  county,  and  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  the 
county  commissioners'  court.  In  1850  Mr.  Potter  visited  Cal- 
ifornia. In  1853  he  removed  his  family  to  Iowa,  where  he 
resided  until  his  removal  to  Galesburg,  Illinois.  Mr.  Potter  died 
at  Galesburg,  March  16,  1880,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five 
years. 

Selden  M.  Church  was  a  son  of  New  England.  He  was  born 
in  East  Haddam,  Connecticut,  March  4,  1804.  His  father 
subsequently  removed  to  Livingston  county,  in  western  New 
York.  The  son  came  to  Chicago  in  1835  with  a  team ;  thence 
he  went  to  Geneva,  in  Kane  county,  where  he  remained  until  he 
settled  in  Rockford  in  the  autumn  of  the  following  year.  During 
his  early  residence  in  the  township,  when  the  Winnebago 
Indians  made  occasional  visits  to  their  former  hunting-ground, 
Judge  Church  frequently  visited  their  camp,  and  obtained  such 
knowledge  of  their  language  as  enabled  him  to  intelligently 
carry  on  conversation  with  them.  From  an  early  date  until 
the  time  of  his  death,  Judge  Church  was  a  notable  figure  in  the 
official  and  business  life  of  the  community.  He  filled  the  offices 
of  postmaster,  county  clerk  and  county  judge.  The  last  posi- 
tion he  held  eight  years.  In  1847  he  was  a  delegate  from  this 
county  to  the  constitutional  convention.  Judge  Church  was  a 
member  of  the  general  assembly  in  1862;  a  member  of  the  state 
board  of  charities  in  1868 ;  and  was  one  of  the  commissioners 
chosen  by  the  government  to  locate  a  bridge  at  Rock  Island. 
Judge  Church  died  June  21,  1892.  He  builded  wisely  for  the 
educational  and  moral  welfare  of  Rockford.  Mrs.  Church  and 
daughters,  Mrs.  Katharine  Keeler  and  Miss  Mary  Preston, 
reside  on  the  family  estate  on  South  Avon  street.  The  title  to 
this  property  has  not  changed  in  more  than  half  a  century. 

Abiram  and  Mary  Morgan  left  their  home  in  Massachusetts 
in  September  on  a  visit  to  this  western  country.  They  were 
charmed  with  the  Rock  river  valley,  and  determined  to  settle 
here.  They  purchased  a  quarter  section  of  Nathaniel  Loomis, 
and  erected  a  small  log  house  on  almost  the  exact  site  of  the 
spacious  old  Horsman  mansion.  Mr.  Morgan  also  purchased 
section  twenty-two,  which  was  originally  an  Indian  "float."  Mr. 
Morgan  possessed  a  competence,  which  became  the  basis  of  a 
large  estate  for  his  family.  His  religious  sympathies  were  with 


42  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

the  Baptist  church.  As  sooii  as  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morgan  had 
established  their  home,  they  desired  that  it  should  be  shared 
by  their  only  daughter  and  her  husband.  This  daughter,  pre- 
vious to  the  departure  of  her  parents  from  Massachusetts,  was 
a  young  school  girl  attending  Charleston  seminary,  where  she 
formed  an  acquaintance  which  led  to  her  romantic  marriage. 
Charles  I.  Horsman  was  then  a  young  man  in  business  in  Bos- 
ton. It  was  an  instance  of  mutual  love  at  first  sight,  and  they 
were  married  February  10, 1834,  when  the  bride  was  nineteen 
years  of  age.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Horsman  took  their  departure 
from  the  east  soon  after  the  arrival  of  her  parents  in  Rockford. 
They  came  by  way  of  Pittsburg,  thence  by  the  Ohio  and  the 
Mississippi  rivers  to  St.  Louis,  thence  overland  to  Rockford. 
Mrs.  Horsman  has  given  a  vivid  picture  of  their  reception  at 
the  parental  home.  As  the  shades  of  night  were  falling,  on  the 
second  day  of  December,  they  reached  Rockford,  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river.  They  were  cold,  hungry,  weary  and  disheart- 
ened. The  river  was  full  of  floating  ice,  so  that  the  ferry  was 
not  available ;  but  a  man  agreed  to  row  them  across  in  a  small 
boat,  and  they  eagerly  assented.  Then  they  walked  up  from 
the  river  arm  in  arm,  through  the  stately  oaks,  until  they  came 
to  the  home  where  the  young  wife's  parents  were  waiting  to 
receive  them.  In  referring  to  that  incident  in  later  years,  Mrs. 
Horsman  said  that  as  the  door  was  thrown  open  to  welcome 
the  daughter  and  her  husband,  when  the  flood  of  light  threw 
out  its  rays  into  the  night,  and  the  aroma  of  hot  coffee  greeted 
their  keen  senses,  it  seemed  as  if  the  gates  of  Paradise  had  been 
opened  to  them.  On  this  very  site  Mrs.  Horsman  resided  until 
her  death  in  1889.  Mr.  Horsman  died  March  2, 1875. 

Sampson  George,  an  English  gentleman,  came  to  thiscounty 
iti  September.  In  his  youth  Mr.  George  had  been  educated  in 
the  profession  of  the  law,  in  the  office  of  his  father ;  but  he  had 
a  decided  preference  for  agricultural  pursuits.  Mr.  George  pur- 
chased a  claim  of  eight  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  land,  held 
by  Joshua  Fawcett.  Five  weeks  after  his  arrival  Mr.  George 
was  taken  ill  and  died  October  31st,  leaving  a  widow  and  five 
children.  He  was  buried  on  his  farm  southeast  of  the  village. 
Later  the  remains  were  removed  to  the  West  side  cemetery. 

Charles  Henry  Richings,  M.  D.,  was  the  second  resident 
physician.  He  followed  very  closely  Dr.  Moulthrop.  Dr.  Rich- 
ings  was  born  in  England,  February  26,  1815.  He  received 
his  medical  education  in  Belgium,  and  settled  in  Rockford  July 


HIRAM  R.  ENOCH.  43 


18.  The  practice  of  his  profession  and  his  in  vestments  returned 
him  a  comfortable  fortune.  Dr.  Richings  was  a  communicant 
of  the  Episcopal  church.  His  death  occurred  August  13, 1884. 
His  widow  resides  on  the  homestead  on  West  State  street.  His 
son,  Dr.  C.  H.  Richings,  is  a  well  known  practitioner. 

Bethuel  Houghton  came  from  New  Hampshire,  in  October. 
He  engaged  in  the  bakery  business,  and  at  one  time  he  was 
associated  in  this  way  with  Ephraim  Wyman.  Mr.  Houghton 
left  reminiscences  in  manuscript,  which  have  been  of  service  in 
the  preparation  of  this  volume. 

Hiram  R.  Enoch  was  a  native  of  Warren  county,  Ohio. 
From  there  he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Will  county, 
Illinois,  and  thence  he  came  to  Guilford  township.  Probably 
no  citizen  of  Rockford  possessed  a  larger  fund  of  local  history 
than  did  Mr.  Enoch,  and  he  rendered  valuable  assistance  in  the 
preparation  of  historical  articles.  Mr.  Enoch  was  county 
treasurer  eight  years.  His  best  known  work  was  as  editor  and 
proprietor  of  the  Rockford  Journal.  After  his  removal  from 
Rockford  Mr.  Enoch  was  in  the  employ  of  the  government,  in 
the  pension  bureau.  His  death  occurred  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

Isaac  Newton  Cunningham  was  the  first  of  four  brothers 
to  settle  in  this  county.  He  was  the  second  sheriff  of  Winnebago 
county,  and  held  this  office  four  years.  He  died  in  Rockford 
December  24, 1865.  His  name  will  frequently  appear  in  later 
chapters. 

Jacob  and  Mary  Posson  came  from  Schoharie  county,  New 
York.  In  1837  Mr.  Posson  purchased  land  four  miles  east  of 
Rockford,  upon  which  he  lived  five  years.  In  1842  he  bought 
property  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Second  and  Market  streets. 
While  building  a  cooper  shop  on  this  site  he  received  injuries 
from  which  he  died  November  1, 1842.  His  son,  H.  A.  Posson, 
has  resided  in  the  county  sixty-two  years,  and  has  probably 
lived  in  Rockford  township  longer  than  any  other  resident 
except  Mrs.  Thatcher  Blake.  Mr.  Posson  was  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Shiloh,  April  6, 1862,  and  his  arm  was  amputated  the 
following  week.  He  was  in  the  local  mail  service  four  years 
from  1890,  under  Postmaster  Lawler. 

David  S.  Shumway  came  in  the  spring,  and  settled  on  a 
farm  in  New  Milford.  He  was  a  native  of  Vermont.  The  family 
was  known  as  Green  Mountain  Yankees,  and  was  of  Huguenot 
descent.  One  son,  R.  G.  Shumway,  was  born  in  Vermont;  R.  B. 
Shumway  is  a  native  of  Ohio ;  three  sons,  Alvaro,  Roland  H., 


44  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

and  Monroe,  were  born  on  the  old  farm  in  New  Milford ;  also 
three  daughters,  who  died  young  during  the  sickly  seasons  of 
early  days.  Roland  H.  Shumway  has  acquired  a  national 
reputation  as  a  seedsman,  and  has  amassed  a  large  fortune. 

Nathaniel  Loomis  and  his  son,  H.  W.  Loomis,  came  from 
New  Jersey.  Other  settlera  in  the  county  were :  Charles  Works, 
Alonzo  Corey,  Charles  P.  Brady,  Spooner  Ruggles,  Henry  P. 
Redington,  Jonathan  Wilson,  A.  G.  Spaulding,  Scott  Robb, 
Numan  Campbell,  John  Peffers,  Heman  Campbell,  Homer 
Denton,  John  Robb,  Edward  Smith,  Joseph  Ritchie,  Herman 
Hoit,  Martin  W.Borst,  Philip  Culver,  Thomas  Williams,  Joseph 
Vance,  Austin  Andrews,  Edmund  Whittlesey,  Joseph  Miner, 
Albert  Fancher,  Eli  Burbank,  Mr.  Barnaby,  and  Miss  Danforth, 
a  sister  of  Mrs.  Israel  Morrill,  and  who  became  the  wife  of  D.  A. 
Spaulding,  the  first  government  surveyor  of  northern  Illinois. 

John  Greenlee  and  John  Armour,  from  Campbelltown, 
Argyleshire,  Scotland,  settled  in  the  spring  of  this  year  at 
Harlem,  and  formed  the  nucleus  from  which  has  grown  the 
large  and  flourishing  colony  known  as  the  Scotch  Settlement. 


CHAPTER  X. 
JOHNC.KEMBLE:  THE  FIRST  LAWYER.—  OTHER  SETTLERS  OF  1837. 


n""HE  emigration  of  1837  was  equal  to  that  of  the  preceding 
year.  John  C.  Kemble  was  the  first  lawyer  who  practiced 
in  this  county.  Mr.  Kemble  and  Dr.  Goodrich  had  offices  on 
South  Madison  street,  directly  below  Potter  &  Preston's 
store.  Mr.  Kemble's  log  house  was  built  near  the  northwest 
corner  of  First  and  Walnut  streets.  Mr.  Kemble  was  a  gentle- 
man of  ability,  and  had  been  a  member  of  the  general  assembly 
of  New  York  from  Rensselaer  county.  Mrs.  Kemble  was  a 
member  of  one  of  the  old  Dutch  families  in  New  York.  Accord- 
ing to  the  custom  of  the  day,  a  colored  servant  was  assigned 
the  duty  of  ministering  to  her  comfort.  Her  maiden  name  was 
Potts,  and  she  met  and  married  Mr.  Kemble  in  Chicago.  Her 
servant,  Isaac  Wilson,  familiarly  known  as  "Black  Ike,"  came 
to  Rockford  with  Mrs.  Kemble  in  the  latter  part  of  1837.  It 
has  been  said  that  he  was  a  slave  at  this  time;  but  such  was 
not  the  fact.  When  Isaac  was  a  boy  slavery  was  abolished  in 
New  York  by  an  act  of  gradual  emancipation,  and  he  became 
free  at  a  certain  age.  He  had  become  so  attached  to  the  family 
in  the  east  that  he  voluntarily  followed  Miss  Potts  to  Chicago, 
thence  to  Rockford,  where  he  resumed  his  duties  as  a  servant. 
These  statements  are  made  on  the  authority  of  the  late  Harvey 
H.  SSilsby,  who  boarded  with  the  Kemble  family  in  the  spring  of 
1839.  About  this  time  ex-Governor  Marcy  and  wife  of  New 
York  were  guests  at  the  Kemble  home.  Mr.  Marcy  had  been 
governor  three  consecutive  terms,  and  had  attracted  attention 
as  a  member  of  the  United  States  senate  by  his  reply  to  Henry 
Clay's  assault  on  Van  Buren,  and  by  his  answer  to  Daniel  Web- 
ster's speech  on  the  apportionment.  The  Governor  came  to 
Rockford  with  his  own  handsome  team  and  carriage,  and  his 
drives  about  the  country  with  the  Kembles  were  notable  inci- 


46  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND   WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

dents  in  the  social  life  of  the  village.  Mr.  Kemble  became  insane, 
and  in  1840  he  was  taken  to  an  eastern  asylum,  where  he  died 
a  short  time  afterward.  Mr.  Kemble  had  two  sons.  Albert, 
the  elder,  was  an  artist.  He  went  to  Italy  for  study,  where  he 
married,  and  died.  Edward  became  an  editor,  and  founded 
the  California  Star,  the  first  English  newspaper  in  San  Fran- 
cisco. For  many  years  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Kemble,  "Black 
Ike"  had  a  fruit  and  lunch  counter  on  North  Madison  street, 
and  is  well  remembered  by  old  residents. 

John  Lake  was  born  March  27, 1821,  in  Selworthy  Parish, 
England.  His  father  died  when  he  was  quite  young,  and  he  was 
early  thrown  upon  his  own  resources.  When  sixteen  years  of 
age  he  determined  to  follow  his  uncle,  Thomas  Lake,  to  Amer- 
ica, and  arrived  in  Rockford  about  December  1st.  After  three 
years  on  a  farm,  Mr.  Lake  spent  a  year  as  an  apprentice  to  the 
carpenter's  trade,  under  Thomas  Thatcher.  At  the  expiration 
of  that  time  he  began  the  business  of  contractor  and  builder  on 
his  own  account.  In  the  winter  of  1852-53  Mr.  Lake  formed  a 
partnership  with  the  late  Phineas  Howes,  in  the  lumber  trade. 
The  firm's  yard  was  on  the  site  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
passenger  depot  on  the  East  side.  After  the  railroad  bridge 
was  completed  across  the  river,  the  firm  removed  its  yard  to 
the  West  side,  near  the  present  Northwestern  freight  depot. 
The  business  was  continued  there  until  the  summer  of  1856, 
when  it  was  sold  to  Mr.  Freeman.  In  November  of  that  year 
Mr.  Lake  revisited  his  native  country.  He  returned  in  Febru- 
ary, 1857,  and  early  in  thefollowing  spring  he  again  embarked 
in  the  lumber  business,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  State  and 
Third  streets,  with  his  former  partner,  Mr.  Howes.  This  part- 
nership was  dissolved  in  the  autumn  of  1859,  by  the  sale  of  the 
stock  to  Cook  &  Brother,  lumber  dealers  on  the  "West  side.  From 
1860  to  1868  Mr.  Lake  was  a  partner  with  the  late  Henry 
Fisher,  in  the  lumber  business  on  the  West  side.  In  May,  1867, 
Mr.  Lake  again  revisited  England,  and  after  an  extended  tour 
of  the  continent  he  returned  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year.  In 
the  spring  of  1868  Mr.  Lake  and  Seely  Perry  formed  a  part- 
nership in  the  lumber  trade,  on  the  corner  of  Third  and  State 
streets,  which  was  continued  until  1874.  The  residences  of 
these  gentlemen  were  built  from  nearly  the  same  plans.  In 
1874,  and  again  in  1877,  1889  and  1891,  Mr.  Lake  revisited 
Europe.  Mr.  Lake  was  connected  with  the  Rockford  Insurance 
Company  from  its  organization  in  1866  until  its  sale  in  1899. 


JOHN  LAKE.— JOHN  THURSTON.  47 

He  was  its  first  vice-president,  and  served  in  that  capacity  until 
January,  1866,  when  he  was  chosen  president  to  succeed  Dr. 
Robert  P.  Lane.  Mr.  Lake  served  the  Second  ward  as  alderman 
ten  years  ending  with  1883.  He  has  been  a  supervisor,  and 
chairman  of  the  board  of  education.  For  sixty-two  years  Mr. 
Lake  has  been  known  as  a  man  of  affairs,  of  strict  integrity  and 
exceptional  executive  ability;  he  is  a  self-made  man.  Mr.  Lake 
and  Seely  Perry  own  the  three-story  brick  block  on  the  north- 
east corner  of  State  and  Second  streets.  October  11, 1849,  Mr. 
Lake  married  Miss  Aimed  a  M.  Danley,  of  Harlem.  Three  of 
their  seven  children  died  in  infancy.  Those  surviving  are :  Mrs. 
William  H.  Crocker,  of  Evanston;  and  Mrs.  Charles  M.  Clark, 
Mrs.  William  M.  Prentice,  and  Frank  L.,  of  Rockford.  Mr.  Lake 
is  a  prominent  Odd  Fellow,  and  has  served  as  grand  master  of 
the  grand  lodge  of  Illinois,  and  representative  to  the  sovereign 
grand  lodge  of  the  United  States  for  six  consecutive  years.  Mr. 
Lake  is  an  attendant  at  the  First  Congregational  church. 

Henry  Thurston  and  his  son,  John  H.,  then  a  lad  thirteen 
years  of  age,  arrived  in  March.  In  company  with  William  P. 
Dennis,  of  Massachusetts,  they  had  come  from  Troy,  New  York, 
by  sleigh  and  wagon  to  Chicago.  There  they  met  Daniel  S. 
Haight  and  Benjamin  T.  Lee,  of  Rockford,  both  of  whom  had 
known  the  elder  Thurston  in  the  east ;  and  they  persuaded  the 
party  to  settle  in  Rockford.  While  in  Chicago  they  met  John 
C.  Kemble,  who  had  made  the  journey  by  stage  from  Troy,  and 
the  company  reached  Rockford  soon  afterward.  The  son  grew 
to  manhood  and  continuously  resided  in  Rockford  until  the 
death  of  his  wife  in  1890.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thurston  resided  more 
than  forty  years  in  the  brick  house  on  South  Madison  street, 
which  has  been  used  for  several  years  as  an  annex  for  the  high 
school.  Mr.  Thurston  published  his  Reminiscences  in  1891. 
They  are  a  valuable  contribution  to  local  history.  Mr.  Thurston 
was  uneducated  in  the  learning  of  the  schools ;  nevertheless  he 
had  a  retentive  memory,  a  ready  wit,  and  a  natural  aptitude 
for  writing  that  have  made  his  little  volume  of  Reminiscences 
quite  popular  with  all  classes  of  readers.  He  has  graphically 
portrayed  that  circle  of  pioneer  social  life  in  which  he  moved. 
Mr.  Thurston  died  September  19, 1896. 

William  P.  Dennis  was  a  well  known  citizen,  who  held  several 
minor  offices.  He  first  lived  in  a  log  house  on  the  site  of  Dr. 
Catlin's  residence,  on  South  First  street.  Mr.  Dennis  died  in 
Rockford,  February  4, 1880. 


48  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTJ. 

Samuel  D.  Preston  came  from  New  York.  He  traveled  over- 
,  land  from  Medina,  with  his  wife  and  one  child.  He  lived  on 
North  Madison  street,  and  later  his  home  was  on  the  site  of  the 
office  of  the  Rockford  Lumber  and  Fuel  Company.  Mr.  Preston 
was  prominent  in  the  early  business  and  political  life  of  the 
community.  He  was  county  treasurer  four  years.  Mr.  Preston 
died  February  11, 1844.  He  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  L.  J.  Clark, 
deceased ;  Miss  Anna  T.  Preston,  deceased ;  and  Miss  Mary 
Preston,  a  resident  of  the  city.  Mr.  Clark,  his  son-in-law,  built 
the  old  stone  house  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Madison  and 
Oak  streets. 

Eleazer  Hubble  Potter  was  born  in  Fairfleld  county,  Con- 
necticut, and  emigrated  with  his  parents  to  western  New  York 
when  he  was  about  seventeen  years  of  age.  Mr.  Potter  was 
fully  committed  to  the  New  England  idea  that  the  church  and 
the  school-house  form  the  real  basis  of  the  prosperity  of  a  city. 
He  therefore  took  an  active  interest  in  building  up  its  religious 
and  educational  institutions.  Mr.  Potter  made  the  acquaint- 
ance of  Samuel  D.  Preston  at  Medina,  and  when  these  gentlemen 
came  to  Rockford  they  formed  a  partnership  in  business.  Mr. 
Potter  afterward  became  a  prominent  banker.  He  built  the 
house  now  occupied  by  Rev.  Mead  Holmes,  who  has  enlarged 
and  otherwise  improved  it.  He  also  built  the  fine  residence  of 
Hon.  Gilbert  Woodruff.  Mr.  Potter  died  at  his  home  in  this 
city,  September  1, 1861,  at  the  age  of  fifty-five  years.  He  was 
the  father  of  Mrs.  William  Lathrop,  and  Commodore  Potter, 
who  resides  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Sabin,  at  Belvidere. 

Nathaniel  Wilder  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Massachusetts, 
June  30, 1794.  From  his  native  state  he  removed  to  Keene, 
New  Hampshire,  and  from  there  he  came  to  Rockford  with  his 
family,  in  March.  He  opened  a  blacksmith  shop  in  a  log  build- 
ing on  South  Main  street,  between  Green  and  Cedar  streets,  and 
owned  considerable  property  in  that  vicinity.  Mr.  Wilder  was 
probably  the  third  blacksmith  in  Rockford.  He  continued  in 
this  business  twenty-five  years,  and  then  engaged  in  the  coal 
trade.  At  one  time  he  was  a  member  of  the  Second  Congrega- 
tional church,  but  his  later  faith  was  Unitarianism.  He  died 
July  11, 1884,  at  the  age  of  ninety  years. 

George  W.  Brinckerhoff  came  to  Rockford  during  this  year. 
He  was  in  partnership  with  Germanicus  Kent  in  various  business 
enterprises.  Although  Mr.  Brinckerhoff  was  quite  prominent 
at  one  time,  little  is  known  of  his  later  life. 


G.  A.  SANfVRD.  4» 


Goodyear  Asa  Sanford  was  born  in  Hamden,  Connecticut,  in 
August,  1814.  He  was  engaged  in  farming  in  the  east  until  he 
came  to  Alton,  Illinois,  in  December,  1836.  In  the  following 
year  he  came  to  Kockford  and  engaged  in  mercantile  business. 
Mr.  Sanford  always  took  an  active  interest  in  politics,  and  was 
one  of  the  early  sheriffs  of  the  county.  He  was  also  school  com- 
missioner from  1845  to  1847.  Mr.  Sanford  was  a  member  of 
the  banking  firm  of  Dicker  man,  Wheeler  &  Co.,  which  began 
business  January  1, 1855.  The  firm  name  was  changed  the  next 
year  to  Lane,  Sanford  &  Co.  The  Second  National  Bank  was 
organized  April  29,  1864,  with  Mr.  Sanford  as  cashier.  He 
succeeded  to  the  presidency,  which  he  held  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  March  16,  1894.  As  a  banker  and  man  of  affairs,  Mr. 
Sanford  was  very  prominent  for  more  than  half  a  century. 

Rev.  John  Morrill  and  wife  made  their  home  in  the  little 
village  in  February.  Mr:  Morrill 's  important  work  in  stimu- 
lating the  religious  life  of  the  community  will  be  considered  in 
a  subsequent  chapter.  Mrs.  Morrill  was  eminently  fitted  for 
the  work  to  which  she  was  called. 

David  D.  Ailing  was  born  at  Westfield,  Connecticut,  April 
27,  1813.  At  seven  teen  year  s  of  age  he  began  an  apprenticeship 
to  the  carpenter's  trade.  He  came  to  Rockf  ord  in  October,  upon 
the  advice  of  G.  A.  Sanford.  Mr.  Ailing  built  a  number  of  dwell- 
ings in  the  little  village,  and  was  a  contractor  during  his  entire 
active  life  in  Rockford.  He  constructed  the  old  First  Congrega- 
tional church,  on  the  West  side.  He  owned  valuable  property 
on  South  Main  street.  Mr*  Ailing  died  August  1,  1898.  He 
was  the  father  of  Mrs.  P.  W.  Danky  and  Frank  Ailing. 

John  Beattie  was  one  of  the  first  emigrants  from  Ireland  to 
this  county.  He  was  born  of  Scotch  ancestry  in  the  north  of 
Ireland,  June  21,  1811.  He  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  his 
native  country,  and  continued  this  occupation  after  his  settle- 
ment in  Rockford.  He  was  successful  in  business,  and  became 
the  owner  of  a  beautiful  site  in  the  finest  residence  portion  of 
the  city,  which  is  now  the  hoirie  of  his  daughters,  Misses  Mary 
I.  and  Anna.  Several  business  houses  on  West  State  street  also 
belong  to  his  estate.  These  valuable  lots  were  tendered  him  in 
payment  for  work  on  the  old  court  house,  more  than  half  a 
century  ago.  Mr.  Beattie  at  first  refused  them ;  and  it  is  said 
he  wept  the  day  he  became  their  possessor,  because  he  felt  that 
he  had  been  defrauded.  Mr.  Beattie  was  highly  esteemed  for 
his  sterling  character.  He  was  reared  in  the  Presbyterian 


50  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

faith,  although  he  was  not  a  member  of  any  church  at  the  time 
of  his  death.  Mr.  Beattie  died  December  3,  1889.  iMrs.  Beattie 
died  December  7,  1891.  Two  sons,  Edward  W.  and  George  D., 
reside  in  Montana.  Two  sons  and  a  daughter  are  deceased. 

John  Platt  was  born  in  West  Haven,  Connecticut,  March 
8,  1813.  He  came  from  Alton,  Illinois,  to  Rockford  in  May, 
and  engaged  in  mercantile  business,  in  1839  he  removed  to 
Pecatonica  township  and  became  an  extensive  land-owner.  He 
returned  to  Rockford  in  1845,  where  he  resided  until  his  death 
in  1881.  Some  years  later  Mrs.  Platt  married  Robert  H. 
Cotton.  She  passed  her  eighty -fifth  year,  December  11,  1899. 

Benjamin  Kilburn  was  born  inBelchertown,  Massachusetts, 
August  8,  1808.  He  settled  permanently  in  Rockford  in  1837. 
He  had  visited  the  county  the  preceding  year,  selected  a  place 
for  a  home,  procured  lumber  for  a  house,  engaged  a  man  to 
build  it,  and  then  went  back  to  Massachusetts  to  adjust  his 
affairs.  Upon  his  return  to  Rockjord  he  was  accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Kilburn 's  brother,  hici.^y  Maynard.  Mr.  Kilburn's  first 
house  was  on  the  site  of  the  Hotel  Nelson,  where  it  stood  until 
1891.  Mr.  Kilburn  subsequently  purchased  a  quarter-section 
in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  'city.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kilburn  had 
seven  children.  Five  died  in  infancy  or  early  youth.  Edward 
B.,  a  son,  enlisted  in  the  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  Volunteers,  and 
died  in  the  hospital  at  Murfreesborough,  in  1863.  Mr.  Kilburn 
opened  a  stone  quarry  on  his  place,  which  proved  valuable,  and 
is  still  operated  by  his  son-in-law,  T.  W.  Carrico.  Kilburu  avenue 
was  named  in  honor  of  Mr.  Kilburn.  He  died  in  1860.  Some 
years  later  Mrs.  Kilburn  married  Mr.  Fales.  She  died  in  the 
summer  of  1899. 

John  Miller,  with  his  wife  and  three  sons,  Jacob  B.,  Thomas 
and  George,  arrived  about  the  middle  of  May.  Jacob  was  better 
known  as  "Old  Jake."  He  was  the  second  resident  lawyer,  and 
as  a  forcible  speaker  he  was  in  great  demand  by  the  Whigs  of 
this  section  in  the  exciting  campaign  of  1840. 

Among  other  settlers  in  the  county  during  the  year  were: 
Isaac  Toms,  William  Twogood,  Elisha  A.  Kirk,  William  Jones, 
William  Peters,  Richard  S.  Stiles,  Eli  Hall,  Levi  Taft,  Hiram 
Richardson,  Simeon  Harmon,  Lewis  Keith,  P.  S.  Doolittle, 
Joseph  Hayes,  Seth  Palmer,  and  his  daughter,  Mrs.  William 
Conick,  who  has  resided  in  the  county  sixty-two  years. 

The  late  Judge  Church  is  authority  for  the  statement  that 
the  population  of  the  county  in  June,  1837,  was  1,086. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

ORGANIZATION    OF    THE    COUNTY.— THE    FIRST    ELECTION. 

IN  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1835  the  settlers  in  this  section 
began  to  agitate  the  question  of  local  government.  This 
matter  was  promptly  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  state 
legislature. 

The  counties  organized  in  northern  Illinois  prior  to  1835 
were  much  larger  than  they  are  at  present.  At  that  time  Cook, 
LaSalle  and  JoDaviess  counties  extended  from  Lake  Michigan 
to  the  Mississippi  river.  Jo  Davies  was  organized  in  1827.  It 
then  extended  east  of  Rock  river,  and  included  the  territory  now 
comprised  in  nine  counties.  This  singular  name  for  the  county 
was  not  given  by  the  citizens.  The  name  designated  in  the 
original  bill  was  Ludlow,  in  honor  of  the  naval  hero  of  that 
name.  A  member  of  the  legislature  moved  to  strike  out  the 
word  Ludlow,  and  insert  the  name  Daviess,  in  honor  of  Colonel 
Jo  Daviess,  who  fell  at  Tippecanoe.  Another  member  facetiously 
moved  to  amend  the  amendment  by  inserting  before  Daviess  the 
word  "Jo."  The  reason  assigned  was  the  fact  that  there  was 
a  member  of  the  house  by  the  name  of  Davis,  and  that  the  peo- 
ple might  think  the  honor  was  intended  for  him ;  and  that  it 
would  be  indelicate  for  the  house,  by  any  act,  to  transmit  his 
name  to  posterity,  as  a  precedent.  This  motion  prevailed ;  the 
senate  concurred  in  the  amendment,  and  thus  the  county 
officially  received  the  name  of  Jo  Daviess.  This  immense  tract 
of  wild,  unpopulated  country  extended  eastward  to  the  third 
principal  meridian,  and  has  been  reduced  in  size  by  the  organ- 
ization of  eight  other  counties. 

Cook  and  LaSalle  counties  were  organized  in  1831.  It  was 
the  evident  intention  at  that  time  to  subdivide  these  counties 
at  a  later  day,  to  meet  the  demands  of  an  increased  popula- 
tion. A  map  of  Illinois,  printed  in  1835,  owned  by  the  late 


52  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORI)  AND  WIN NEB  AGO  COUNTY. 

Hon.  Ephraim  Sunnier,  and  now  in  possession  of  his  son,  Hon. 
E.  B.  Sumner,  represents  Cook  county  with  territory  attached 
on  the  north  for  judicial  purposes.  La  Salle  has  northern  terri- 
tory annexed  for  the  same  purpose,  corresponding  to  portions  of 
McHenry,  Kane,  Winnebago  and  Ogle  counties,  and  all  of  Boone 
and  DeKalb,  as  at  present  organized.  JoDaviess  is  shown 
with  annexed  territory  on  the  east  and  south.  The  distinction 
between  Cook  and  La  Salle  counties  proper,  and  their  annexed 
portions,  appears  to  have  been  in  the  fact  that  the  former  were 
surveyed,  while  the  latter  were  not.  Although  JoDaviess 
county  was  organized  eight  years  before  Mr.  Simmer's  map  was 
printed,  the  map  does  not  even  represent  the  county  as  sur- 
veyed. The  conditions,  however,  in  JoDaviess  were  peculiar. 
The  country  near  Galena  included  a  mining  camp,  with  quite  a 
considerable  population,  and  thus  required  a  local  government. 
Hence  the  organization  of  the  county  preceded  by  several  years 
the  government  survey  of  the  land. 

The  state  legislature  at  that  time  held  its  sessions  at 
Vandalia.  An  act,  approved  and  in  force  January  16,  1836, 
provided  for  the  organization  of  McHenry,  Wiimebago,  Kane, 
Ogle  and  Whiteside  counties,  and  the  reorganization  of  Jo 
Daviess.  Section  two  of  the  law  created  Winuebago  county, 
with  boundaries  as  follows:  "Commencing  at  the  southeast 
corner  of  township  number  forty-three,  range  number  four,  east 
of  the  third  principal  meridian,  and  running  thence  west  to  the 
said  meridian ;  thence  north  along  the  line  of  said  meridian,  to 
the  southeast  corner  of  township  number  twenty-six,  in  range 
number  eleven,  east  of  the  fourth  principal  meridian;  thence 
west  to  the  dividing  line  between  ranges  number  seven  and 
eight ;  thence  north  along  said  line  to  the  northern  boundary 
of  the  state ;  thence  east  along  said  boundary  line  to  the  north- 
east corner  of  range  number  four,  east  of  the  third  principal 
meridian ;  thence  south  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

Winnebago  was  thus  formed  from  the  attached  portions  of 
Jo  Daviess  and  La  Salle  counties.  That  part  of  the  county  east 
of  the  third  principal  meridian  was  taken  from  La  Salle;  the 
portion  west  of  this  meridian  was  detached  from  Jo  Daviess.  As 
at  first  organized,  Winnebago  county  was  almost  exactly 
double  its  present  size,  and  included  all  of  Boone  county,  and 
the  eastern  two  township  ranges  of  what  is  now  Stephenson 
county.  Winnebago  has  never  been  enlarged  or  reduced  from 
its  original  form  on  its  northern  or  southern  boundary. 


THE  FIRST  CENSUS. 


Section  nine  of  the  law  to  establish  the  county  ordered  an 
election  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  Germanicus  Kent,  on  the  first 
Monday  in  Ma.y,  for  sheriff,  coroner,  recorder,  surveyor,  and 
three  county  commissioners,  who  should  hold  their  offices  until 
the  next  succeeding  general  election,  and  until  their  successors 
were  qualified.  The  election,  however,  was  not  held  until  the 
next  August. 

No  county  created  by  this  act  was  to  be  organized,  and  an 
election  held,  until  a  majority  of  the  voters  of  the  prospective 
county  had  addressed  a  petition  for  the  same  to  the  judge 
of  the  sixth  judicial  circuit,  or,  in  his  absence,  to  another  circuit 
judge.  The  voters  were  also  required  to  give  sufficient  proof 
that  the  proposed  county  contained  not  less  than  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  white  inhabitants.  This  task  was  undertaken 
by  Dr.  Daniel  H.  Whitney,  who  had  settled  at  Belvfdere.  As 
the  first  census  enumerator,  Dr.  Whitney  diligently  spied  out 
the  land,  and  discovered  the  requisite  number  of  "white  inhab- 
itants." 

These  facts  were  communicated  to  Judge  Thomas  H.  Ford. 
He  thereupon  issued  an  order,  dated  July  15,  1836,  for  an 
election  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  Daniel  S.  Haight,  on  the  first 
Monday  in  August.  The  ninth  section  of  the  statute  had  des- 
ignated an  earlier  date  and  another  place  for  this  election ;  but 
inasmuch  as  the  organization  of  the  county  depended  upon  a 
prescribed  population,  a  subsequent  section  of  the  law  necessa- 
rily referred  the  time  and  place  of  such  election  to  the  presiding 
judge  of  the  circuit.  Under  the  first  constitution  of  Illinois,  all 
elections  for  state  and  county  officers  were  held  the  first  Monday 
in  August.  The  time  of  these  elections  was  changed  by  the  sec- 
ond constitution,  in  1847,  to  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first 
Monday  in  November.  GermanicusKent,  Joseph  P.  Griggs  and 
Robert  J.  Cross  were  chosen  judges  of  election.  Judge  Ford's 
order  has  been  framed,  and  is  preserved  in  the  office  of  Captain 
Lewis  F.  Lake,  the  circuit  clerk,  as  an  interesting  relic  of  those 
early  days. 

It  has  been  said  that  politics  and  religion  are  the  chief 
concerns  of  men.  The  "iron  pen  of  history"  must  record 
the  fact  that  politics  then  had  the  right  of  way  for  the  time. 
The  prospective  election  awakened  intense  enthusiasm.  The 
electors  were  to  vote  also  for  a  member  of  congress  and  two 
representatives  in  the  state  legislature.  But  the  special  interest 
centered  in  the  selection  of  three  candidates  for  county  commis- 


54  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

sioners.  Kentville  and  Haightville,  as  the  West  and  the  East 
side  settlements  were  respectively  called,  had  already  become 
strong  rivals.  The  Guelphs  and  Ghibellines,  in  the  mediaeval 
Florentine  republic,  did  not  more  earnestly  strive  for  suprem- 
acy. No  caucus  or  convention  was  called,  and  the  factions 
informally  divided  the  honors.  Simon  P.  Doty,  who  had  settled 
in  Belvidere  in  1835,  was  the  candidate  for  commissioner  for 
that  part  of  the  county.  Thomas  B.  Talcott  was  the  northern 
candidate.  Mr.  Haight  was  anxious  to  have  the  third  elected 
from  this  bailiwick,  but  he  waj3  obliged  to  yield  this  point  to 
his  West  side  rival,  who  placed  William  E.  Dunbar  in  the  field. 

The  election  was  held  on  Monday,  August  1st,  in  a  decidedly 
primitive  manner.  Written  or  printed  ballots  had  not  then  been 
introduced  into  Illinois.  Under  the  old  constitution,  all  votes 
were  to  be  given  vive  voce  until  otherwise  provided  by  the  gen- 
eral assembly ;  and  up  to  this  time  no  change  had  been  made. 
This  method  kept  the  interest  at  a  high  pitch,  and  enabled  the 
voters  to  tell  at  any  moment  the  relative  strength  of  the  several 
candidates.  It  is  a  gigantic  stride  from  the  vive  voce  vote  of 
1836  to  the  Australian  ballot  of  today.  At  that  time  there 
was  not  a  copy  of  the  Illinois  statutes  in  the  county  to  direct 
the  judges  of  election  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties.  Mr.  Kent, 
however,  knew  something  of  the  election  laws  of  Virginia  and 
Alabama,  Robert  J.  Cross  was  familiar  with  those  of  New  York 
and  Michigan,  and  Mr.  Griggs  was  acquainted  with  the  laws  of 
Ohio.  The  election,  therefore,  was  not  allowed  to  goby  default 
for  so  slight  a  cause  as  ignorance  of  the  laws  of  their  adopted 
state.  D.  A.  Spaulding  had  some  acquaintance  with  the  laws 
of  Illinois,  and  he  was  made  one  of  the  clerks  of  election,  and 
entrusted  with  the  duty  of  making  the  poll-books.  Simon  P. 
Doty,  Thomas  B.  Talcott  and  William  E.  Dunbar  were  elected 
county  commissioners;  Daniel  S.  Haight,  sheriff;  Daniel  H. 
Whitney,  recorder;  Eliphalet  Gregory,  coroner;  and  D.  A. 
Spaulding,  surveyor.  The  results  of  the  election  for  member  of 
congress  and  representatives  in  the  general  assembly  are  given 
in  a  subsequent  chapter  devoted  to  this  subject. 

One  hundred  and  twenty  votes  were  cast  at  this  election. 
The  names  of  the  voters  were  as  follows :  David  Caswell.  George 
Caswell,  David  Barnes,  P.  P.  Burnham,  Thomas  Crane,  Thatcher 
Blake,  Seth  Scott,  Joshua  Fawcett,  John  Barrett,  Jeremiah 
Frame,  John  F.  Thayer,  William  Randall,  John  Welch,  Joshua 
Cromer,  John  Slavins,  David  Blake,  William  Barlow,  Joseph 


THE  FIRST  VOTERS.  55 


B.  Baker,  Daniel  Fairchild,  Livingston  Robins,  Alfred  Shattuck, 
Alva  Trask,  William  Smith,  Ira  Raskins,  John  Bunts,  Simon 
P.  Doty,  Milton  S.  Mason,  Timothy  Gas  well,  Charles  H.  Pane, 
Royal  Brings,  Solomon  Watson,  Abram  Watson,  Ralzimond 
Gardner,  Mason  Sherburne,  John  K.  Towner,  John  G.  Lock- 
ridge,  John  Allen,  John  Lovesse,  A.  E.  Courtright,  Henry  Enoch, 
Ephraim  Sumner,  S.  Brown,  A.  R.  Dimmick,  Samuel  Hicks,  H. 
M.  Wattles,  T.  R.  J.  English,  Oliver  Robins,  J.  P.  Griggs,  Aaron 
V.  Taylor,  Luke  Joslin,  William  Sumner,  David  D.  Elliott,  John 
Handy,  Jacob  Pettyjohn,  Daniel  S.  Haight,  Jacob  Keyt,  John 
Lefonton,  John  Kelsoe,  William  R.  Wheeler,  M.  Ewing,  Charles 
Works,  Sidney  Twogood,  Phineas Churchill, Thomas B.Talcott, 
Austin  Andrews,  Thomas  Lake,  Benjamin  McConnell,  Benjamin 
DePue,  Lewis  Haskins,  Aaron  B.  Davis,  Joel  Pike,  R.M.  Waller, 
Julius  Trask,  William  Carey,  Ephraim  Wyrnan,  P.  D.  Taylor, 
William  Brayton,  Israel  Morrill,  Harlyn  Shattuck,  David  De- 
Witt,  James  B.  Young,  Abel  Thurston,  John  Kaudler,  John 
Adams,  Milton  Kilburn,  Richard  H.  Enoch,  Joseph  Chadwick, 
Daniel  Piper,  John  Hance,  Henry  Enoch,  Jr.,  Peter  Moore, 
Sylvester  Sutton,  V.  B.  Rexford,  William  G.  Blair,  Daniel  H. 
Whitney,  James  Jackson,  Isaac  Adams,  Isaac  Harrell,  E.  A. 
Nixon,  John  Wood,  William  Mead,  Joseph  Rogers,  A.  C.  Glea- 
son,  Henry  Hicks,  John  Brink,  E.  Gregory,  L.  C.  Waller,  James 
Thomas,  G.  Kent,  Chauncey  Mead,  George  Randall,  W.  H. 
Talcott,  William  E.  Dunbar,  S.  A.  Lee,  Charles  Reed,  Carles 
Sayres,  Robert  J.  Cross,  D.  A.  Spaulding,  Benjamin  White, 
Jacob  Enoch.  The  votes  of  two  men,  John  Langdon  and 
Thomas  Williams,  were  rejected.  Not  a  single  voter  of  this  list 
is  now  living.  The  last  survivor  was  Harlyn  Shattuck,  who 
died  in  1899,  near  Belvidere. 

On  Wednesday,  August  3d,  the  county  commissioners-elect 
met  in  special  session  at  the  house  of  Daniel  S.  Haight,  for  the 
transaction  of  business  necessary  to  complete  the  local  govern- 
ment. Each  commissioner  administered  the  oath  of  office  to 
the  other.  Lots  were  drawn  for  the  terms  of  one  year,  and  two 
and  three  years  respectively.  D.  A.  Spaulding  was  elected  clerk 
of  the  county  commissioners'  court ;  and  Robert  J.  Cross  was 
chosen  treasurer.  William  E.  Dunbar  was  sent  to  Vandalia, 
the  capital  of  the  state,  with  the  election  returns.  The  term 
court  might  seem  to  imply  that  this  body  possessed  judicial 
powers,  but  such  was  not  the  fact.  Under  the  constitution  of 
1818,  three  commissioners  were  elected  in  each  county  for  the 


56  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

transaction  of  all  its  business.  This  court  performed  the  duties 
and  exercised  powers  corresponding  in  a  general  way  to  those 
entrusted  under  the  present  law  to  the  board  of  supervisors. 

At  this  first  session  of  the  court  the  commissioners  divided 
the  county  into  seven  precincts,  as  follows :  Yellow  River,  which 
included  the  towns  of  Silver  Creek,  Ridot,  Freeport,  Lancaster, 
and  the  south  half  of  Rock  River,  in  Stephenson  county ;  Rock 
Grove,  which  included  the  north  half  of  Rock  River,  all  of  Buck 
Eye,  Rock  Grove,  and  the  east  half  of  Oneco,  in  Stephenson 
county,  and  Laona  and  Howard  (now  Durand)  in  Winnebago ; 
Peeketolika,  corresponding  to  the  towns  of  Seward,  Lysander 
(nowPecatonica)and  Burritt;  Kishwaukee,  now  the  townships 
of  Cherry  Valley,  New  Milford,  and  part  of  Rockford  township ; 
Rockford,  which  included  the  present  townships  of  Winnebago, 
Guilford,  the  larger  part  of  Rockford,  and  the  south  half  of 
Owen  and  Harlem;  Rock  River,  including  the  townships  of 
Shirlaud,  Harrison,  Rockton,  Roscoe,  north  half  of  Owen  and 
Harlem,  and  Manchester  in  Boone  county;  Belvidere,  which 
included  all  of  Boone  county  except  Manchester  township.  This 
precinct  contained  two  hundred  and  fifty-two  square  miles ;  yet 
at  the  first  presidential  election  in  1836,  it  could  poll  only 
twenty-three  votes.  Rock  River  precinct  was  twenty-four  miles 
in  length,  and  from  six  to  twelve  in  width,  and  included  six 
townships.  At  the  presidential  election  previously  mentioned 
this  immense  territory  could  poll  but  twenty  votes.  The 
number  of  precincts  was  subsequently  increased  to  ten. 

At  this  session  of  the  court  an  order  was  issued,  which  fixed 
the  time  and  place  of  holding  an  election  in  each  precinct,  for 
justices  of  the  peace  and  constables.  The  date  chosen  was 
August  27.  In  only  three  of  these  precincts,  however,  were 
elections  held  on  that  day.  In  Belvidere  John  K.  Towner  and 
John  S.  King  were  elected  justices  of  the  peace,  and  AbelThurs- 
ton  and  Mason  Sherburne,  constables.  In  Rock  River,  Sylvester 
Talcott  and  Robert  J.  Cross  were  elected  justices  of  the  peace, 
and  John  P.  Parsons  and  D.  A.  Blake,  constables.  In  Peeke- 
tolika, Ephraim  Sumner  and  Isaac  Hance  were  chosen  justices, 
and  William  Sumner  and  Thomas  Hance,  constables.  These 
justices  were  the  first  judicial  officers  in  the  county.  A  second 
election  for  the  four  remaining  precincts  was  ordered  to  be  held 
October  14th.  Upon  the  election  of  these  officers  at  this  time 
the  county  organization  was  completed.  There  was  as  yet  no 
county  seat.  The  act  to  establish  the  county,  however,  had 


FIRST  CLAIMS  ALLOWED.  57 

provided  that  until  public  buildings  should  be  erected  for  the 
purpose,  the  courts  should  be  held  at  the  house  of  Daniel  S3. 
Haight  or  Gennanicus  Kent,  as  the  county  commissioners 
should  direct. 

The  first  claims  against  the  county  were  presented  at  this 
session.  Germauicus  Kent,  Robert  J.  Cross  and  J.  P.  Griggs,  as 
judges  of  election,  and  D.  A.  Spaulding  and  S.  A.  Lee,  as  clerks, 
were  allowed  one  dollar  each.  D.  A.  Spaulding  was  allowed 
fifty  cents  for  stationery  furnished  for  poll-books. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

LOCATION  OF  THE  COUNTY  SEAT  AT  WINNEBAGO. 

THE  law  establishing  Winnebago  county  designated  Robert 
Stephens  and  Rezin  Zarley,  of  Cook  county,  and  Jolm 
Phelps,  of  JoDaviess,  as  commissioners,  to  locate  the  perma- 
nent seat  of  justice.  These  commissioners,  or  a  majority  of 
them,  were  authorized  to  meet  on  the  first  Monday  in  May, 
1836,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  may  be,  at  the  house  of  Daniel 
S.  Haight,  for  the  discharge  of  their  duty.  John  Phelps  never 
made  hia  appearance.  The  other  two  commissioners  met  July 
14th,  at  the  place  specified  by  law,  for  the  selection  of  a  site  for 
the  county  buildings. 

At  the  county  commissioners'  court  on  Thursday,  August 
4,  1836,  the  report  of  the  special  commissioners  was  presented. 
The  reader  will  avoid  confusion  by  noting  the  distinction  be- 
tween the  three  county  commissioners  elected  by  popular  vote, 
and  the  special  commissioners  designated  by  the  statute  to 
locate  the  county  seat.  The  latter  reported  that  on  the  14th 
day  of  July  they  had  met  at  the  house  of  Daniel  S.  Haight,  and 
that  two  days  later  they  had  selected  a  site  on  lands  owned  by 
Nicholas  Boilvin  &  Co.,  on  condition  that  the  proprietors  should 
execute  a  warranty  deed  to  the  county  of  thirty  acres  of  land,  so 
long  as  it  should  remain  the  seat  of  justice.  On  the  same  day 
Charles  Reed  presented  to  the  county  commissioners  a  deed  of 
twelve  blocks,  containing  two  and  one-half  acres  each,  situated 
about  two  miles  up  the  river  from  the  ferry  crossing. 

The  law  was  very  specific  concerning  the  location  of  a  site. 
It  provided  that  if  the  site  chosen  should  be  the  property  of 
individuals,  instead  of  government  land,  the  owners  thereof 
should  make  a  deed  in  fee  simple  of  not  less  than  twenty  acres 
of  said  tract  to  the  county ;  or  in  lieu  thereof  they  should  pay 
the  county  three  thousand  dollars,  to  be  used  in  the  erection  of 
county  buildings.  Mr.  Reed  may  have  presented  his  deed  in 


Tflfc  FIRST  CONVEYANCE  OF  LAND.  59 


good  faith,  but  it  UUH  iiot  accepted  because  it  contained  an 
objectionable  clause  to  the  effect  that  the  county  should  hold 
the  property  "so  long  as  it  should  remain  the  seat  of  justice." 
This  reservation  defeated  his  scheme. 

This  tract  of  land  came  into  possession  of  Nicholas  Boilvin 
about  one  year  previous.  Mr.  Boilvin  was  at  one  time  a  gov- 
ernment agent  for  the  Winnebago  Indians.  The  several  transfers 
of  this  property  form  an  interesting  chapter  of  local  history.  It 
was  noted  in  Chapter  III.  that  by  the  treaty  negotiated  at  Prairie 
duChien,  August  1,  1829,  between  the  United  States  and  the 
Winnebagoes,  grants  of  land  were  made  to  certain  descendants 
of  this  tribe.  Catherine  Myott,  a  half-breed  Indian  woman,  was 
one  of  the  two  who  had  received  two  sections  each.  Previous 
to  this  contest  over  the  county  seat,  one  of  these  two  unlocated 
sections  had  been  sold  to  Henry  Gratiot.  By  a  deed  executed 
August  25, 1835,  Catherine  Myott  conveyed  the  other  unlocated 
section  to  Nicholas  Boilvin  for  eight  hundred  dollars.  This  was 
the  first  individual  conveyance  of  land  in  Winnebago  county. 
This  deed  was  filed  for  record  in  Cook  county,  September  3, 
1835,  and  recorded  by  Daniel  H.  Whitney,  recorder  of  Winne- 
bago county,  September  8,  1836.  This  instrument  was  the 
first  filed  for  record  in  this  county.  The  tract  located  for  Mr. 
Boilvin,  by  virtue  of  the  treaty  of  1829,  is  the  east  half  of 
section  fourteen  and  all  that  part  of  section  thirteen  west  of 
Rock  river,  in  Rockford  township,  and  contains  six  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  acres.  At  the  time  Mr.  Reed  made  the  offer  of  his 
deed  to  the  county  commissioners,  the  property  belonged  to 
Nicholas  Boilvin,  of  Chicago,  Charles  Reed,  of  Joliet,  and  Major 
Campbell. 

As  soon  as  the  organization  of  the  county  began  to  be 
agitated,  Boilvin  and  his  associates  determined  to  secure  the 
location  of  the  county  seat  on  their  site.  The  entire  tract  was 
platted  September  14, 1836.  It  was  known  as  Nicholas  Boilvin's 
plat  of  the  town  of  Winnebago,  and  the  plat  was  filed  for  record 
September  17, 1836.  Reed  appeared  as  the  principal  manager. 
There  were  two  hundred  and  fifty-one  blocks,  and  these  were 
subdivided  into  two  thousand  four  hundred  and  thirty-six  lots. 
The  streets  were  uniformly  eighty-two  and  one-half  feet  wide, 
and  bore  north  and  south,  east  and  west.  The  lots  were  forty- 
nine  and  one-half  feet  front,  and  one  hundred  and  thirteen  feet 
and  nine  inches  deep,  except  the  lots  in  the  water  blocks,  which 
ran  back  from  Water  street  to  low-water  mark.  The  alleys 


60  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

were  twenty  feet  wide.  The  town  was  chriateued  Wiimebago. 
Reed  built  a  two-story  house,  to  be  used  as  a  hotel  arid  store, 
which  is  still  standing  a  few  rods  above  John  H.  Sherratt's  new 
residence.  A  free  ferry  was  established;  a  lime-kiln  and  a 
blacksmith  shop  were  built;  and  a  road  opened  through  the 
timber  east  from  Winnebago,  to  meet  the  state  road  from 
Chicago  to  Galena,  at  a  point  on  Beaver  creek.  Nothing  was 
left  undone  to  secure  the  county  seat;  but  the  decision  of  the 
commissioners,  like  the  law  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  could 
not  be  changed. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  special  commissioners 
were  given  full  power  by  the  statute  to  locate  the  county  seat, 
their  selection  was  arbitrarily  set  aside  by  the  commissioners' 
court.  This  rejection,  however,  was  based  upon  a  reason  which 
would  have  been  considered  valid  by  any  court.  The  question 
did  not  again  come  before  the  people  until  1839.  Pending  the 
location  of  the  county  seat,  the  commissioners  ordered  that  the 
circuit  and  county  commissioners'  courts  should  be  held  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Haight. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  FERRY. — EARLY  STATE  AND  COUNTY  ROADS. 

1""HE  ferry  was  the  first  mode  of  transit  across  the  river. 
Ferries  were  established  by  special  acts  of  the  legislature, 
with  regular  charters,  in  territory  not  under  county  organiza- 
tion. The  issue  of  licenses  for  conducting  ferries  came  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  commissioners'  courts  in  organized  counties. 
In  1836,  at  the  September  session  of  this  court  for  Winnebago 
county,  Germanicus  Kent  was  authorized  to  establish  a  ferry 
at  Rockford,  at  what  is  now  State  street.  He  was  required  to 
pay  a  license  of  ten  dollars  for  one  year.  Rates  of  ferriage  were 
established  as  follows :  For  each  carriage,  wagon  or  cart,  drawn 
by  two  horses,  oxen  or  mules,  sixty -two  and  one-half  cents;  the 
same  drawn  by  one  horse,  thirty-seven  and  one-half  cents ;  for 
each  additional  horse,  twelve  and  one-half  cents;  for  man 
and  horse,  twenty-five  cents;  each  horse,  mule,  or  head  of 
cattle,  twelve  and  one-half  cents ;  hogs,  sheep  and  goats  per 
score,  fifty  cents;  each  footman,  six  and  one-quarter  cents. 
These  terms  were  for  transients.  Farmers  were  given  a  yearly 
rate.  Free  ferriage  was  given  to  the  citizens  of  the  county  after 
the  village  became  incorporated.  The  proprietors  were  reim- 
bursed from  the  village  treasury. 

At  the  same  session  of  the  court  Vance  &  Andrews  were 
authorized  to  establish  a  ferry  at  Winnebago,  on  the  same 
terms  for  license  and  ferriage  as  given  Mr.  Kent.  C.  Doolittle, 
by  his  agent,  H.  M.  Wattles,  was  granted  the  privilege  of 
establishing  a  ferry  where  the  line  between  Rockford  and  Owen 
townships  crosses  Rock  river,  on  the  same  terms.  In  the  spring 
of  1836,  Harvey  Lowe  and  Nelson  H.  Salisbury,  who  had  made 
claims  in  Howard  in  the  preceding  autumn,  returned  with  their 
families.  May  18th  they  crossed  the  river  at  the  point  now 
spanned  by  Trask's  bridge.  They  were  the  first  to  cross  in  the 
boat  which  had  been  launched  that  day.  They  had  been  detained 
there  about  a  week,  and  during  that  time  they  had  assisted  in 
building  the  boat.  This  ferry,  which  was  established  through 
the  agency  of  Love  and  Salisbury,  to  enable  them  to  cross  their 


62  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

claims,  subsequently  became  the  thoroughfare  in  the  direction 
of  Mineral  Point,  and  formed  a  convenient  crossing  for  all 
emigrants  to  the  country  north  of  the  Pecatonica. 

In  1837  the  ferry  licenses  of  Kent  and  Vance  were  extended 
another  year,  at  the  same  rates.  Mr.  Kent  conducted  the  ferry 
at  Rockford  from  1836  to  1838.  In  the  latter  year  a  license 
was  issued  to  Kent  &  Brinckerhoff.  The  rates  of  ferriage  were 
changed  and  the  license  fee  raised  to  twenty  dollars.  These 
gentlemen  were  succeeded  by  Selden  M.  Church,  who  continued 
the  business  until  the  first  bridge  was  built. 

Skiffs  were  used  for  carrying  passengers,  and  a  scow  for 
horses  and  other  property.  A  scow  was  made  from  the  halves 
of  large  split  logs  hewn  down  to  proper  thickness,  and  planked 
in  the  ordinary  manner.  A  large  cable  was  stretched  across 
the  river,  supported  by  posts  on  either  side,  which  kept  it  in 
place.  From  the  ends  of  the  scow  smaller  ropes  ran  to  pulley 
blocks  running  on  the  cable.  By  shortening  one  of  these  ropes 
and  pushing  the  boat  from  the  shore  so  that  the  current  could 
strike  it  obliquely,  the  craft  was  given  the  required  momentum, 
and  the  rapid  current  propelled  it  over.  The  scow  could  carry 
two  teams  at  a  time.  Teams  were  driven  upon  the  scow,  and  if 
any  danger  was  apprehended  from  frightened  horses,  the  driver 
would  block  a  wheel  to  the  scow  with  a  chain.  A  platform  at 
either  end  of  the  boat,  supported  by  levers  attached  to  each 
side,  was  lowered  to  the  solid  landing,  and  thus  formed  an  easy 
entrance  and  exit.  A  railing  at  the  sides  and  base  at  the  ends 
insured  perfect  safety.  The  countersign  was  "Over!"  which, 
with  various  repetitions  and  inflections,  always  preceded  the 
starting  of  the  boat. 

There  was  a  ferry-house  on  either  side  of  the  river.  The 
ferryman  resided  in  the  one  on  the  West  side.  It  was  a  frame 
structure  built  on  the  site  of  the  public  library  building,  in 
1839,  by  Allen  &  Brown,  for  Kent  &  Brinckerhoff.  Its  dimen- 
sions were  fourteen  by  fourteen  feet,  one  story,  boarded  up  and 
down,  with  shingle  roof.  James  Taylor,  a  bachelor,  was  the 
first  ferryman.  He  was  succeeded  by  Giles  C.  Hard,  and  he  in 
turn  by  John  Fisher,  after  whom  Fisher  avenue  was  named. 
He  was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  a  strong  and  muscular 
man,  of  strict  integrity.  Mr.  Taylor  was  assisted  by  Asher 
Miller.  Their  combined  strength  was  sometimes  severely  tested 
in  getting  a  row-boat,  loaded  with  passengers  and  mails,  across 
through  the  ice,  when  the  ferry-boat  could  not  run. 


SURVEY  OF  THE  STATE  ROAD.  63 

When  Gerrnanicus  Kent  and  Thatcher  Blake  made  their 
settlements,  there  were  no  state  roads  in  this  vicinity.  Indian 
trails  wended  their  way  through  prairie  and  forest,  but  these 
did  not  greatly  facilitate  the  travel  of  the  white  man.  At  that 
time  Chicago  and  Galena  were  the  only  well  known  points  in 
northern  Illinois.  The  first  settlements  in  the  state  were  made 
in  the  southern  portion  ;  and  as  the  tide  of  emigration  poured 
from  the  east  into  the  Rock  river  valley,  after  the  Black  Hawk 
war,  each  session  of  the  legislature  laid  out  a  number  of  state 
roads. 

By  an  act  approved  January  15,  1836,  James  Gifford,  Dan- 
iel S.  Haight  and  Josiah  C.  Goodhue  were  appointed  special 
commissioners  to  view,  survey  and  locate  a  road  from  Meach- 
am's  Grove,  in  Cook  county,  to  Galena,  in  JoDaviess  county. 
The  bill  directed  that  the  commissioners  should  make  "Elgin 
on  Fox  river,  in  Cook  county,  Belvidere  on  Squaw  Prairie,  in 
the  county  of  LaSalle,  and  Midway  at  the  ford  on  Rock  river,  in 
the  county  of  J  o  Daviess,  points  on  the  said  road,  and  shall  fix  the 
said  road  on  the  most  advantageous  ground,  for  a  permanent 
road,  having  reference  to  said  points."  This  road  was  opened 
without  delay,  and  State  street  in  Belvidere  and  in  Rockford  is 
a  portion  of  this  highway,  which  extends  nearly  across  the 
state  in  a  general  northwesterly  direction  from  Chicago. 

By  the  same  act  David  W.  Whitney,  Stephen  Mack,  and  John 
P.  Bradstreet  were  designated  commissioners  to  locate  a  road 
from  Belvidere  to  the  mouth  of  Pecatonica  river,  at  Mack- 
town,  which  was  named  in  his  own  honor  by  its  founder,  Stephen 
Mack.  By  an  act  of  the  legislature,  approved  March  2, 1839, 
Benjamin  T.  Lee,  of  Winnebago  county,  Ephraim  Hall,  of 
DeKalb,  and  Isaac  Marlett,  of  Kane,  were  made  commissioners 
to  view,  survey  and  locate  "a  state  road  from  where  a  certain 
road  terminates  at  the  Will  county  line,  to  Aurora,  on  Fox 
river;  thence,  by  the  county  seat  of  DeKalb  county,  Rockford,  in 
Winnebago  county,  Trask'e  ferry,  Pekatonikee;  thence  to  the 
state  line,  in  a  direction  towards  Mineral  Point.  The  said 
commissioners  shall  lay  out  a  state  road  from  the  town  of 
Winnebago,  in  Winnebago  county,  intersecting  the  State  road 
in  the  direction  to  the  Will  county  line."  Mr.  Marlett,  the 
third  commissioner,  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  0.  B\  Barbour,  of 
Rockford.  About  1839  Charles  street  was  opened  as  a  more 
direct  route  to  Chicago,  by  way  of  St.  Charles;  hence  the  name. 
But  it  was  of  little  value  in  this  respect  beyond  Cherry  Valley. 


64  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

In  March,  1839,  an  act  of  the  legislature  was  approved,  by 
which  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  were  appropriated  from  the 
state  internal  improvement  fund,  which  had  been  created  two 
years  before.  This  money  was  distributed  among  the  northern 
counties.  It  was  to  be  applied  by  the  commissioners'  courts  of 
the  counties  receiving  the  same,  exclusively  to  the  construction  of 
bridges,  and  the  improvement  of  public  roads  in  their  respective 
counties.  Winnebago  county  received  three  thousand  one  hun- 
dred and  fourteen  dollars  and  eighty-three  cents,  with  the 
proviso  that  "the  bridge  across  Cedar  creek,  on  the  State  road 
leading  by  Bloomingville  to  the  mouth  of  the  Pickatonike,  and 
the  improvements  of  the  Great  Western  mail  route  or  road  from 
the  east  to  the  west  line  of  Winnebago  county,  shall  first  be 
made  and  paid  for  from  the  sum  appropriated  to  said  county." 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  county,  the  commissioners 
devoted  considerable  attention  to  receiving  petitions  for  the 
appointment  of  viewers  to  locate  roads.  The  rapid  settlement 
of  the  county,  in  a  day  preceding  the  railroad,  demanded  the 
best  possible  facilities  for  transportation.  Every  property- 
owner  was  anxious  to  secure  a  public  road  near  his  homestead, 
and  was  willing  to  give  whatever  land  was  necessary.  The 
records  of  the  county  bear  testimony  to  the  fidelity  with  which 
the  commissioners  transacted  this  important  business. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  VILLAGE  CHRISTENED. — THE  FIRST  SURVEYS. 

MR.  KENT  was  in  a  sense  the  first  proprietor  of  the  colony. 
He  gave  it  the  name  of  Midway.  This  name,  which  is  said 
to  have  been  proposed  by  Mrs.  Kent,  was  suggested  by  the  fact 
that  the  settlement  was  about  halfway  from  Chicago  to  Galena. 
"Midway,  Rock  River,  JoDaviess  county,  Illinois,  June  17, 
1835,"  is  thename  and  date  Mr.  Kent  gives  in  a  letter  to  afriend. 
The  law  of  1836  which  established  the  State  road,  noted  in  the 
last  chapter,  referred  to  "Midway  at  the  ford  on  Rock  river." 

A  letter  written  by  Mr.  Kent  in  the  autumn  of  1834,  ad- 
dressed to  J.  B.  Martyn,  of  Alabama,  directed  that  gentleman 
to  "Midway"  as  follows :  "At  Galena  call  on  my  brother.  From 
Galena  go  directly  east  until  you  come  to  and  cross  Apple  river, 
thence  turn  in  a  southeasterly  course  to  Plum  river,  and  from 
there  to  Cherry  Grove.  •  There  leave  some  timber  on  your  left, 
and  a  small  grove  on  your  right  [later  known  as  Twelve-Mile 
Grove]  and  then  keep  on  until  you  strike  Rock  river,  from  which 
a  blind  path  will  lead  you  to  Mid  way."  These  instructions  were 
about  as  definite  asLauncelot's  direction  to  the  Jew's  house,  in 
the  Merchant  of  Venice :  "Turn  up  on  your  right  hand  at  the  next 
turning,  but  at  the  next  turning  of  all,  on  your  left;  marry,  at  the 
very  next  turning,  turn  of  no  hand,  but  turn  down  indirectly 
to  the  Jew's  house."  Nevertheless,  Mr.  Martyn  found  Midway. 

Under. date  of  October  17, 1837,  Mr.  Kent  writes  a  letter 
from  Rockford.  The  settlement  was  therefore  known  as  Mid- 
way from  one  to  three  years.  It  is  said  "a  rose  by  any  other 
name  would  smell  as  sweet ; "  but  it  is  doubtful  if  the  ambitious 
young  community  would  have  become  the  commercial  and  edu- 
cational center  of  the  Rock  river  valley,  handicapped  by  the 
primitive  name  of  Midway.  The  original  proprietors  early 
came  to  this  conclusion.  Authorities  differ  as  to  the  origin  of 
the  name  Rockford.  One  writer  says  the  place  was  known  as 
Rockford  by  the  Indians ;  and  that  this  name  was  suggested  to 
them  by  nature.  Upon  the  site  of  the  present  dam  was  a  solid 
rock  bottom,  where  the  water  WRS  usually  so  shallow  as  to  afford 


M  BISTORT  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAQO  COUNTY. 

easy  crossing  with  their  ponies.    Hence  it  was  called  by  them 
the  rock-ford. 

John  H.  Thurston  gives  a  somewhat  different,  though  not 
necessarily  a  conflicting,  version.  He  says  Daniel  S.  Haight, 
Germanicus  Kent,  William  H.  Oilman  of  Belvidere,  John  P. 
Chapin  and  Ebenezer  Peck  of  Chicago,  and  Stephen  Edgel,  later  of 
St.  Louis,  met  at  Dr.  Goodhue's  office,  on  Lake  street,  in  Chicago, 
to  name  the  claim,  or  mill  privilege,  which  they  hoped  at  some 
time  would  become  a  town.  "Midway,"  though  an  appropriate 
name,  was  not  in  favor.  Various  names  were  suggested  and 
rejected,  until  Dr.  Goodhuesaid:  "Why  not  call  it  ROCKFORD, 
from  the  splendid  rock-bottom  ford  on  the  river  there?"  The 
suggestion  seemed  an  inspiration,  and  was  at  once  unanimously 
adoped ;  and  from  that  day  to  this,  Dr.  Goodhue  has  been  given 
the  credit  of  the  present  name.  The  date  of  this  christening  is 
uncertain.  Mr.  Thurston  says  it  occurred  in  the  summer  of 
1835;  but  the  statute  of  January,  1836,  still  designated  it 
Midway.  News  traveled  slowly,  however,  in  those  days;  and 
possibly  the  solons  at  Vandalia  had  not  learned  of  the  change. 

The  first  surveys  in  Winnebago  county  were  made  early  in 
1836.  Don  Alonzo  Spaulding,  a  pioneer  of  1835,  was  the  gov- 
ernment surveyor.  One  of  his  associates  was  Hon.  Charles  B. 
Farwell,  of  Chicago,  who  in  1886  succeeded  the  late  General 
John  A.  Logan  as  a  United  States  senator  from  Illinois.  In 
October,  1835,  Mr.  Spaulding  began  the  extension  of  the  third 
principal  meridian,  at  a  timber  corner  about  two  miles  north 
of  the  point  where  this  meridian  crosses  the  Illinois  river,  on 
the  western  boundary  line  of  LaSalle  county.  Mr.  Spaulding 
extended  the  third  principal  meridian  north  to  its  intersection 
with  the  Wisconsin  boundary  line.  He  then  returned  on  the 
line  to  the  corner  of  townships  forty-one  and  forty-two  north, 
range  one  east,  and  commenced  the  stand-line  running  east 
along  the  southern  boundary  of  townships  forty -two  north, 
ranges  one,  two  and  three  east ;  and  then  surveyed  the  range  and 
township  lines  in  these  three  ranges  to  the  north  line  of  the  state. 
He  subdivided  townships  forty-four  and  forty-six,  Rockford 
and  Rockton,  before  leaving  the  field  in  January,  1836.  Mr. 
Spaulding  resumed  his  surveys  in  the  spring  of  that  year,  and 
subdivided  township  forty-five,  range  one  east,  and  townships 
forty-four,  forty-five  and  forty-six,  ranges  two  and  three  east. 
In  1839, 1840,  and  1841,  under  another  contract,  Mr.  Spauld- 


THE  RIVALRY  BETWEEN  KENT  AND  HAIQHT.  «T 

ing  subdivided,  in  ranges  ten  and  eleven,  east  of  the  fourth 
principal  meridian,  from  the  northern  line  of  the  state  south  ward 
nearly  thirty  miles.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  Mr.  Spaulding 
surveyed  the  range  and  township  lines  in  all  of  Winnebago 
county,  and  the  western  range  of  Boone;  and  subdivided  all  of 
Winnebago  except  New  Milford  and  Cherry  Valley  townships. 

Mr.  Spaulding,  however,  was  not  responsible  for  the  fact 
that  the  streets  of  East  and  West  Rockford  do  not  squarely 
meet  at  the  river.  Mr.  Spaulding  stated  that  in  January,  1836, 
Mr.  Kent  requested  him  to  lay  out  two  or  three  streets,  parallel 
with  the  river,  on  the  West  side,  as  the  beginning  of  his  town. 
There  were  probably  ten  or  twelve  blocks,  the  corners  of  which 
were  defined  by  stakes.  This  survey  of  blocks  and  streets  was 
a  personal  transaction  with  Mr.  Kent,  and  entirely  separate 
from  Mr.  Spaulding's  survey  of  townships  and  ranges  for  the 
government.  In  the  spring  of  1836  several  persons  interested 
in  the  east  side  of  the  river  wished  Mr.  Spaulding  to  lay  off  the 
beginning  of  their  town.  After  making  a  preliminary  examina- 
tion, he  found  that  he  could  not  make  the  front  street  or  the 
street  next  the  river,  on  the  most  suitable  ground  and  have 
the  cross  streets  correspond  with  the  streets  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river.  He  then  examined  his  work  on  the  West  side,  and 
found  that  it  could  be  changed  so  as  to  conform  to  the  East 
side.  At  that  time  no  improvements  had  been  made  which 
would  have  been  affected  by  the  prospective  change ;  and  a  slight 
modification  would  have  made  the  streets  on  the  two  sides  of 
the  river  harmonize,  as  though  there  had  been  no  river  dividing 
the  town.  Mr.  Spaulding  explained  to  Mr.  Kent  the  advantage 
of  such  harmony  to  both  sides  of  the  river ;  but  Mr.  Kent  was 
unwilling  to  comply  with  his  suggestions.  Forty-five  years 
later  Mr.  Spaulding  made  this  explanation  to  relieve  himself  of 
the  responsibility  for  the  city  streets  as  they  now  touch  the  river. 

The  rivalry  between  the  two  sides  of  the  river  could  not  be 
compromised.  Nature  provided  that  the  river  should  be  a  bond 
of  union  in  which  there  is  strength ;  but  the  two  factions  made 
it  a  cause  of  division.  Both  Kent  and  Haight  foresaw  that  the 
prosperity  of  Rockford  would  largely  depend  upon  the  develop- 
ment of  the  natural  water-power;  but  neither  would  make  any 
concession,  even  for  the  general  good.  William  E.  Dunbar  had 
settled  on  the  West  Side  in  1835;  but  he  subsequently  removed 
to  the  East  side,  purchased  land  of  Mr.  Haight,  and  joined  him 
in  a  common  rivalry  against  his  former  neighbor. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE   RISE  OF  METHODISM. — FIRST  METHODIST   EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

IT  has  been  said  that  John  Wesley  gave  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  to  the  poor,  and  at  his  death  he  left  to  the 
world  two  silver  spoons  and  the  Methodist  church.  The  latter 
has  proved  a  splendid  legacy.  Methodism  has  always  been  a 
pioneer.  It  received  its  baptism  of  divine  energy  in  the  days  of 
John  and  Charles  Wesley.  George  Whitefield  caught  the  holy 
flame,  and  came  to  America  to  preach  a  more  simple  gospel  to 
the  common  people.  Methodism  has  since  kept  pace  with  the 
course  of  empire  that  westward  takes  its  way. 

Methodism  was  established  in  Wiunebago  county  in  1836. 
It  was  therefore  the  vanguard  of  the  church  militant  to  enter 
and  possess  the  land.  The  official  record  of  the  first  society  has 
not  been  preserved.  It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  early  and 
authentic  information  was  given  by  Bishop  Vincent  thirty-five 
years  ago.  At  that  time  he  was  pastor  of  the  Court  Street 
Methodist  church.  On  Sunday,  October  2, 1864,  Rev.  Vincent 
preached  a  sermon  on  Methodism  in  Rockford,  which  has  been 
preserved.  Thirty-five  years  ago  there  were  living  witnesses  of 
the  first  effort  to  organize  a  Methodist  church,  and  others  who 
had  seen  the  stately  tree  grow  from  the  grain  of  mustard  seed . 
This  sermon  is  supplemented  by  an  excellent  historical  address 
delivered  by  Rev.  G.  R.  Vanhorne,  D.  D.,  August  6, 1882,  in  the 
Centennial  Methodist  church,  which  is  on  file  in  the  records  of 
that  church.  These  sermons  furnish  the  only  available  infor- 
mation concerning  the  first  church  organized  in  Winnebago 
county. 

Galena  was  the  first  appointment  within  the  bounds  of  the 
present  Rock  River  conference.  It  was  at  that  time,  in  1829,  in 
the  Illinois  conference,  which  comprised  the  states  of  Indiana 
and  Illinois.  The  Indiana  conference  was  formed  in  1834.  After 
this  separation  of  Indiana  from  the  Illinois  conference,  thelatter 
still  covered  a  vast  region.  In  the  autumn  of  1835  Rev.  William 
Royal  was  appointed  to  the  Fox  River  mission.  Rev.  Samuel 
Pillsbury  was  associated  with  him.  This  mission  circuit  extended 


THE  FIRST  CLASS. 


Dorthwardfrom  Ottawa.  In  June,  1836,  Rev.  Pillsbury  preached 
a  sermon  at  the  home  of  Henry  Enoch,  in  Guilford  township, 
seven  and  one-half  miles  east  of  Rockford.  This  was  the  first 
service  in  the  county  conducted  by  a  Methodist  clergyman.  On 
that  occasion  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Daniel  Beers  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sam- 
uel Gregory  traveled  six  miles  in  a  heavy  lumber  wagon  drawn 
by  a  yoke  of  oxen.  Verily,  these  godly  pioneers  were  not  car- 
ried to  the  skies,  nor  even  to  church,  on  "flowery  beds  of  ease." 
Their  religion  cost  them  something;  but  they  received  manifold 
more  in  this  present  time,  and  in  the  world  to  come  life  ever- 
lasting. This  first  service  was  followed  during  the  summer  by 
occasional  sermons  by  Rev.  Royal  at  Mr.  Enoch's  house;  and 
Mrs.  Enoch  often  prepared  Sunday  dinners  for  the  congrega- 
tion. On  his  way  to  conference  at  Springfield,  in  the  autumn 
of  1836,  Rev.  Royal  passed  through  Rockford.  Monday  after- 
noon, September  2d,  he  preached  in  Samuel  Gregory's  log 
house,  which  stood  on  what  is  now  block  fourteen  in  Gilbert 
Woodruff's  Second  Addition  to  Rockford.  At  the  close  of  the 
sermon  Rev.  Royal  organized  the  first  Methodist  class,  which 
consisted  of  five  persons :  Samuel  Gregory,  Joanna  Gregory, 
Mary  Enoch,  Daniel  Beers  and  Mary  Beers.  These  pioneer 
Methodists  have  been  honored  by  five  memorial  front  windows 
in  Centennial  church.  Mr.  Gregory  and  Mrs.  Beers  were  living 
when  Dr.  Vanhorne  prepared  his  memorial  address  seventeen 
years  ago. 

Rev.  Vincent,  in  his  sermon,  made  this  reference  to  that 
humble  beginning:  "I  visited  a  few  days  ago  the  remains  of  the 
old  log  house,  scarcely  a  mile  east  of  the  river,  and  near  the 
railroad,  where  this  organization  of  Methodism  took  place.  It 
was  in  an  humble  place,  but  in  the  midst  of  a  glorious  land  and 
under  a  benignant  heaven  that  this  little  germ  was  planted, 
and  it  has  grown  rapidly,  and  the  five  have  become  nearly  a 
thousand  who  live  under  the  shadow  of  Rockford  Methodism 
today ;  and  who  can  tell  of  the  number  who  have  gone  up  from 
the  field  of  conflict  into  the  temple  of  triumph? " 

At  the  conference  of  1836  Bishop  Roberts  appointed  Dr. 
Arnold  to  the  Sycamore  circuit,  of  which  Rockford  was  a  part. 
The  few  Methodists  gathered  for  worship  as  often  as  possible 
at  Mr.  Gregory's  house.  In  1837  the  conference  met  at  Rush- 
ville,  when  Bishop  Roberts  sent  William  Gaddis,  with  Robert 
Lane  as  assistant,  to  the  Rockford  circuit.  This  circuit  belonged 
to  the  Chicago  district,  over  which  John  Clark  was  presiding- 


70          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

elder.  Mr.  Lane  soon  retired  from  the  field,  and  he  was  succeeded 
by  Leander  S.  Walker.  At  the  conference  of  1638,  at  Alton, 
Bishop  Soule  returned  Mr.  Walker  to  Rockford  as  preacher  in 
charge,  with  Nathan  Jewett  as  assistant.  During  the  early  part 
of  Mr.  Walker's  pastorate  he  preached  in  the  house  of  James 
Boswell,  north  of  the  brewery.  .  The  Methodists  subsequently 
worshipped  in  a  building  erected  by  Mr.  Haight  on  the  site  of 
the  American  House.  This  building  was  used  for  various  pur- 
poses. In  the  summer  of  1838  the  Methodists  built  a  parsonage 
on  First  street,  between  Prairie  street  and  Lafayette  avenue, 
facing  west.  This  was  the  first  Methodist  parsonage  built  within 
what  is  now  the  Rock  River  conference.  Another  memorable 
event  occurred  during  this  year.  The  first  quarterly  meeting 
was  held  late  in  the  summer,  in  a  barn  belonging  to  Mr.  Haight, 
near  the  intersection  of  State  and  Third  streets,  and  is  known 
in  local  history  as  the  "stage  barn."  The  services  began  on 
Saturday,  and  continued  through  Sunday.  Bishop  Morris 
presided  at  the  conference  held  in  Bloomington  in  1839,  and 
returned  Nathan  Jewett  to  Rockford  as  preacher  in  charge. 

The  Rock  River  conference  was  organized  August  26, 1840, 
at  Mt.  Morris.  Bishop  Waugh  presided  over  this  conference, 
which  was  held  in  a  grove.  Rockford  was  retained  in  the  Chicago 
district,  with  John  T.  Mitchell  as  presiding  elder,  andSemphro- 
nious  H.  Stocking  as  circuit  preacher.  August  25,  1841,  the 
conference  was  held  at  Platteville,  Wisconsin,  when  Bishop 
Morris  sent  John  Crummer  to  Rockford.  The  Methodists  were 
then  holding  services  in  the  brick  schoolhouse  on  the  East  side 
public  square.  The  Dniversalists  appointed  their  service  at  the 
same  hour  and  place,  and  differences  arose.  The  Methodists 
withdrew  from  the  schoolhouse;  the  pastor  removed  his  family 
"up-stairs,"  and  finished  the  lower  story  of  the  parsonage  as 
a  chapel. 

August  3,  1842,  the  conference  met  in  Chicago,  and  Bishop 
Roberts  assigned  Rockford  to  the  care  of  Silas  Bolles.  At  this 
time  the  Methodist  church  was  worshiping  in  what  was  after- 
ward known  as  the  "old  seminary  building."  This  structure 
had  been  begun  as  a  Congregational  church,  but  was  abandoned 
for  the  church  built  on  the  West  side  by  Kent  and  Brinckerhoff. 
In  1842  the  Methodists  bought  this  property  of  the  county 
commissioners,  and  held  it  for  some  years. 

September  20, 1842,  the  First  Methodist  church  became  an 
incorporate  body,  with  five  trustees,  as  follows :  Horace  Miller, 


PURCHASE  OF  FIVE  LOTS.  71 

James  B.  Marty n,  Samuel  Gregory,  Daniel  Beers  and  Willard 
Wheeler.  At  the  conference  in  Dubuque,  Iowa,  August  30, 
1843,  Rockford  was  made  a  "station,"  and  Bishop  Andrews 
•ent  Richard  Blanchard.  November  10th  of  that  year  the 
trustees  of  the  society  purchased  of  Daniel  S.  Haight  the  lot  on 
which  the  parsonage  had  been  built  five  years  previous.  The 
consideration  was  two  hundred  dollars.  In  1849  the  trustees 
sold  the  property  to  George  Shearer,  for  three  hundred  dollars. 
The  lot  is  now  occupied  by  Thomas  Sully's  residence. 

Nathaniel  P.  Heath  succeeded  Mr.  Blanchard  in  1844.  He 
was  sent  by  Bishop  Morris,  who  presided  at  the  conference  in 
Milwaukee.  In  August,  1845,  the  conference  met  at  Peoria, 
and  Bishop  Morris  sent  Charles  D.  Gaboon  to  Rockford.  He 
filled  this  appointment  only  once,  and  died  September  25th. 
His  remains  are  buried  in  the  Cedar  Bluff  cemetery.  Of  the 
fifty-eight  pastors  who  were  assigned  to  Rockford  pulpits  from 
1836  to  1882,  Mr.  Gaboon  is  the  only  one  who  died  among  this 
people  while  in  the  pastorate.  John  Lucock  was  sent  to  fill  out 
the  term  of  Mr.  Gaboon.  During  his  pastorate  the  society 
resolved  to  build  a  church.  December  6,  1845,  a  subscription 
paper  was  circulated.  The  quarterly  conference  had  already 
appointed  John  Lucock,  Willard  Wheeler,  G.  0.  Holmes,  James 
B.  Martyn,  Horace  Miller,  Samuel  Gregory,  Edward  Fitch,  and 
Eliphalet  Gregory  as  a  building  committee,  to  superintend  the 
erection  of  the  edifice,  which  was  to  be  called  "The  First  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  of  Rockford."  This  subscription  list 
has  been  preserved,  and  is  now  in  the  archives  of  the  society. 
The  amount  subscribed  was  two  thousand  three  hundred  and 
twelve  dollars. 

In  August,  1846,  Nathaniel  P.  Heath  was  re-assigned  to 
this  charge,  at  the  request  of  the  society,  by  Bishop  Hamline, 
who  presided  over  the  conference  at  Galena.  February  25, 
1846,  the  trustees  purchased  of  William  H.  Gilman,  lots  one, 
two,  three,  four  and  five,  in  the  east  half  of  block  thirty-one, 
fronting  on  South  Second  street,  between  Oak  and  Walnut. 
The  consideration  was  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars. 
This  part  of  the  town  was  then  called  the  "Barrens,"  and  was 
a  hunting-ground  for  the  boys.  These  lots,  except  lot  one, 
are  the  same  upon  which  the  Centennial  church  and  parson- 
age now  stand,  and  which  were  occupied  by  the  First  church 
and  parsonage.  The  contract  for  building  the  First  church 
WM  made  with  M.  H.  Regan,  in  1846,  but  it  was  not  completed 


72  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

until  1848.  The  brick  for  the  church  was  made  by  Hiram 
Richardson ;  the  stone  for  the  foundation  was  donated  by  Jesse 
Buckbee. 

The  conference  of  1847  was  held  in  August,  at  Chicago. 
Bishop  Waugh  assigned  James  E.  Wilson  to  Rock  ford.  He 
remained  one  year.  The  church  was  completed  and  dedicated 
during  his  pastorate.  March  13, 1848,  a  second  subscription 
paper  was  circulated.  The  document  contained  this  proviso: 
"That  the  seats  in  said  church  shall  be  free  for  all,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  discipline  and  usages  of  said  church, — if  not  free 
these  subscriptions  to  be  null  and  void."  The  amount  pledged 
was  two  thousand  and  sixty -nine  dollars.  This  document  is 
also  preserved.  The  dedication  of  the  church  occurred  June  1, 
1848.  Leander  S.  Walker  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon. 
The  cost  of  the  church  was  about  seven  thousand  dollars.  The 
pulpit  of  this  sanctuary  had  an  unique  history.  Several  years 
before,  Samuel  Gregory  had  taken  careful  forethought  for  his 
burial,  and  cut  down  a  stately  walnut  tree,  sawed  it  into  boards 
and  solemnly  stored  them  away  for  his  coffin.  Nature  seemed 
to  resent  the  insinuation,  and  the  country  became  so  healthy 
as  to  render  his  efforts  useless.  Before  Mr.  Greogory  had  an 
opportunity  to  die,  William  Logue  came  to  Rockford  with  an 
abundance  of  undertaking  supplies,  and  Mr.  Gregory  relegated 
the  well  seasoned  boards  to  the  loft  of  his  barn.  When  the 
First  church  needed  a  pulpit,  he  brought  forth  his  treasure  of 
walnut  and  literally  laid  it  on  the  altar.  When  the  Centennial 
church  was  built,  the  historic  desk  given  by  the  first  class-leader 
was  carefully  taken  apart,  and  fashioned  into  the  beautiful 
piece  of  furniture  upon  which  the  Bible  now  rests.  Mr.  Gregory 
lived  more  than  forty  years  after  this  strange  preparation  for 
his  burial ;  and  that  which  was  intended  to  encase  a  dead  body, 
now  holds  the  living  word. 

Canton  was  the  seat  of  the  conference  in  1848,  when  Bishop 
Morris  sent  James  C.  Parks  to  Rockford.  He  was  the  first 
preacher  who  remained  two  years  on  this  charge.  During  his 
first  year,  in  1849,  the  society  built  a  "grout"  parsonage  on 
the  corner  lot  just  south  of  where  the  present  parsonage  stands. 
July  18,  1849,  the  annual  conference  was  held  at  Rockford, 
with  Bishop  Janes  presiding.  Bishop  Hamline  presided  at 
the  conference  in  Plainfield,  July  17,  1850.  He  assigned  to 
Rockford.  William  P.  Jones,  who  remained  one  year.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Francis  A.  Reed,  who  received  his  appointment 


REV.  JAMES  BAUME.  73 


from  Bishop  Waugh,  who  presided  over  the  conference,  held 
July  17th,  at  Peoria.  It  was  during  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Reed 
that  the  "Second  Methodist  Episcopal  church"  was  organized. 
These  were  successful  years  for  local  Methodism.  At  the  end  of 
his  term  he  reported  four  hundred  members  and  twenty  proba- 
tioners. 

From  1841  to  1853  Rockford  had  been  a  part  of  the  Mt. 
Morris  district.  In  the  latter  year,  the  conference,  which  met 
at  Chicago  September  14th,  redistricted  the  work,  and  the  Rock- 
ford  district  was  formed.  Bishop  Scott  sent  Luke  Hitchcock 
to  the  district  as  presiding  elder.  William  Tasker  was  assigned 
to  the  First  church,  and  "West  Rockford"  was  left  to  be  sup- 
plied by  Mr.  Chatfield. 

Lewiston  was  the  seat  of  the  next  conference,  which  was 
held  September  13,  1854.  James  Baume  was  sent  from  this 
session  by  Bishop  Morris  to  East  Rockford.  He  served  the 
church  two  years.  Mr.  Baume  went  to  India  as  a  missionary 
in  1859,  and  remained  seven  years.  He  was  stationed  at  Luck- 
now,  where  his  daughter,  now  Mrs.  Henry  D.  Andrew,  was  born. 
Mr.  Baume  returned  in  1866,  and  in  that  year  he  was  assigned 
to  the  First  church  by  Bishop  Clark.  Mrs.  Baume  died  in  1867. 
Mr.  Baume's  second  wife  is  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Thomas  G.  Lawler. 
In  1883  Mr.  Baume  returned  to  the  foreign  field.  He  first  went 
to  Naini  Tal,  a  resort  in  the  Himalaya  mountains,  and  thence 
to  Bowen  church  in  Bombay.  He  returned  in  1893  to  Rockford, 
after  having  given  seventeen  years  to  foreign  missionary  fields. 
Mr.  Baume  died  in  June,  1897.  Circuit  Judge  Baume,  of  Galena, 
isasori.  At  his  death  it  was  said  of  him  :  "He  esteemed  the  Chris- 
tian ministry  the  choicest,  most  privileged  and  far  the  highest 
place  on  earth.  .  .  and  he  therefore  had  that  calm  and 
impress! veuess  which  come  to  a  man  in  the  presence  of  such 
exalted  persuasions." 

From  the  Aurora  conference,  September  12,  1856,  Bishop 
Simpson  sent  Hooper  Crews  to  this  charge.  During  his  second 
year  the  society  again  swarmed,  and  the  Third  Street  church 
was  formed.  At  the  conference  of  August,  1858,  which  met  at 
Waukegan,  the  three  societies  in  Rockford  were  respectively 
named  First  Church,  Court  Street  and  Third  Street.  The  next 
conference  was  held  at  Galena,  in  October,  1859,  when  Bishop 
Ames  reappointed  Francis  A .  Reed  to  the  First  church.  Mrs. 
Reed  died  during  his  first  year.  The  Swedish  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church  was  organized  in  July,  1861,  during  his  second  year. 


74  BISTORT  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAQO  COONTT. 

The  portraits  of  many  of  these  pioneer  Methodist  ministers 
adorn  the  parlors  of  Centennial  church.  There  is  also  a  picture 
of  the  First  Methodist  church.  The  union  of  the  First  church 
and  the  Third  Street  church  under  the  name  of  the  Centennial 
church,  will  be  considered  in  a  later  chapter. 

A  complet  list  of  the  early  presiding  elders  who  have  served 
on  the  districts  in  which  the  Rockford  appointments  have  been 
located,  are  as  follows :  1836-40,  John  Clark,  Chicago  district ; 
1840-41,  John  T.  Mitchell,  Chicago  district;  1841-42,8.  H. 
Stocking,  Mt.  Morris  district ;  1842-44.  John  T.  Mitchell,  Mt. 
Morris  district ;  1844-48,  Cooper  Crews,  Mt.  Morris  district ; 
1848-50,  Philo  Judson,  Mt.  Morris  district;  1850-53, Richard 
Haney,  Mt.  Morris  district;  1853—54,  Luke  Hitchcock,  Rock- 
ford  district ;  1854-58,  Rev.  G.  L.  S.  Stuff,  Rockford  district ; 
1858-60,  Cooper  Crews,  Rockford  district;  1860-64,  Richard 
A.  Blanchard,  Rockford  district;  1864-65,  W.  T.  Harlow,  Mt. 
Morris  district;  1864-68,  L.  A.  Sanford  (six months),  Rockford 
district;  1864-68,  H.  L.  Martin  (three  years  and  six  months), 
Rockford  district;  1868-72,  W.  C.  Willing,  Rockford  district ; 
1872-76,  W.  P.  Gray,  Rockford  district;  1876-80,  Henry  L. 
Martin,  Rockford  district;  1880-84,  C.  E.  Mandeville,  Rockford 
district. 

Of  the  sixty  sessions  of  the  Rock  River  conference,  eight 
have  been  held  in  Rockford.  The  first  convened  with  the  First 
church,  July  18,  1849.  Edmund  S.  Janes  was  the  presiding 
bishop.  August  26,  1857,  the  conference  convened  in  Court 
Street  church,  with  Lewis  Scott  as  presiding  bishop.  At  the  con- 
ference held  with  the  First  church,  September  23, 1863,  Bishop 
Scott  again  presided.  October  9,  1872,  the  conference  met  in 
the  Third  Street  church,  with  Bishop  Isaac  W.  Wiley  presiding. 
The  next  conference  in  Rockford  met  October  13, 1880,  in  Court 
Street  church.  Bishop  Hurst  presided.  The  charge  of  heresy 
preferred  against  Dr.  H.  W.  Thomas  was  considered  and  referred 
to  the  presiding  elder  of  his  district.  September  21,  1884,  the 
conference  convened  with  Centennial  church.  Bishop  Henry  W. 
Warren  presided.  Bishop  Mallalieu  presided  at  the  conference 
held  with  Court  Street  church,  September  27, 1887.  The  eighth 
conference  convened  with  Centennial  church,  October  3,  1899, 
with  Bishop  Hurst  in  the  chair. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

FIRST  CRIME.  —  FIRST  MARRIAGES  AND  BIRTHS.  —  CLAIM  FIGHTS. 


1~"HE  first  crime  brought  to  light  in  Winnebago  county  was 
committed  in  the  summer  of  1835.  The  body  of  a  mur- 
dered man,  terribly  mutilated,  was  found  in  the  woods,  about 
two  and  a  half  miles  south  of  the  settlement.  This  discovery 
sent  a  thrill  of  horror  to  the  hearts  of  the  pioneers,  who  began 
for  the  first  time  to  feel  distrustful.  The  county  had  been 
settled  by  an  excellent  class  of  citizens,  and  this  murder  was  the 
one  dark  shadow  of  these  first  years.  The  crime  was  at  first 
attributed  to  the  Indians  ;  but  this  accusation  was  not  war- 
ranted by  their  general  treatment  of  the  whites.  The  remains 
of  the  stranger  were  buried  in  the  woods  where  he  met  his  death. 
The  crime  remains  a  mystery  to  this  day  ;  but  the  poor  fellow 
was  doubtless  murdered  by  an  unsuspected  Judas  for  his  claim. 
The  settlers  allowed  the  tragedy  to  pass  unrecorded  in  local 
history;  and  not  until  forty  years  later  appeared  the  first 
published  statement  of  the  affair.  This  first  crime  was  the 
first  death  of  a  white  person  in  the  county,  so  far  as  known. 
The  second  death  was  that  of  Sampson  George,  to  whom  refer- 
ence was  made  in  a  preceding  chapter. 

The  first  marriage  was  that  of  Dr.  Daniel  H.  Whitney  and 
Sarah  Caswell,  and  was  solemnized  by  Rev.  Seth  S.  Whitman, 
of  Belvidere,  December  10,  1836.  The  first  marriage  ceremony 
within  the  present  limits  of  thecounty  was  that  of  Jeremiah  Rob- 
erts and  Harriet  Clausen,  and  was  performed  December  11,1836, 
by  Sylvester  Talcott,  a  justice  of  the  peace.  The  first  marriage, 
however,  reported  in  the  registry  in  the  county  clerk's  office  is 
that  of  William  P.  Randall  and  Miss  Delia  Driscoll,  solemnized 
February  13,  1837,  by  William  R.  Wheeler,  a  justice  of  the  peace. 

Dr.  Daniel  Hilton  Whitney,  the  first  benedict,  was  a  historic 
character.  He  was  not  the  Daniel  Whitney  who  figured  promi- 
nently in  the  early  transfers  of  land  in  sections  twenty-one, 
twenty-two  and  twenty-seven,  in  Rockford  township.  Dr. 
Whitney  settled  in  Belvidere  in  1835,  and  was  elected  the  first 
recorder  of  Winnebago  county,  which  in  1836  included  Boone 


76  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

county.  Dr.  Whitney  was  tall,  of  commanding  presence,  with 
swarthy  complexion,  coal-black  hair,  and  eagle  eye,  and  withal 
the  very  incarnation  of  dynamic  force.  At  one  time  Dr.  Whitney 
was  not  a  believer  in  revealed  religion.  Rev.  EleazerT.  Ball,  a 
Presbyterian  pastor  of  Belvidere,  when  on  his  death-bed,  sent 
an  invitation  to  Dr.  Whitney  to  come  and  see  a  Christian  die. 
Upon  his  brow  had  come  the  first  breath  of  the  eternal  morn- 
ing, and  into  his  soul  the  thrill  of  thriumph.  With  Paul  he  could 
say:  "0  grave!  where  is  thy  victory !"  Death  to  him  was  but  the 
kiss  of  an  angel,  to  waft  the  gentle  spirit  homeward  to  its  God. 
Wfiat,  to  this,  is  the  hero's  clarion,  though  its  blast  should  ring 
with  the  mastery  of  a  world !  Dr.  Whitney  died  February  17, 
1864,  aged  fifty-seven  years.  There  was  much  in  his  life  and 
character  that  appealed  to  the  love  of  romance;  and  he  is 
kindly  remembered  to  this  day.  Dr.  Jones,  a  grandson  of  Dr. 
Whitney,  is  practicing  medicine  at  Belvidere. 

Melissa  J.  Long,  daughter  of  John  B.  Long,  born  in  Febru- 
ary, 1836,  is  entitled  to  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  white 
child  born  in  the  county.  The  first  male  child,  Ogden  Hance, 
was  born  in  what  is  now  Pecatonica  township.  George  E. 
Dunbar,  son  of  William  E.  Dunbar,  was  born  in  1836,  in  a  little 
log  house  situated  about  one  block  south  of  Kent  street,  on 
Main.  Mrs.  T.  W.  Carrico,  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  Kilburn, 
was  also  among  the  earliest  accessions  by  birth  to  the  popula- 
tion of  the  village. 

The  protection  of  land  claims  was  one  of  the  difficulties  that 
confronted  the  early  settlers.  Stephen  A.  Douglas'  doctrine  of 
squatter  sovereignty  was  not  practicable  in  dealing  with  slavery 
in  the  territories;  and  perhaps  the  renowned  and  doughty  little 
giant  never  designed  that  it  should  be.  But  in  Winnebago 
county,  during  the  first  five  years  after  the  arrival  of  Kent  and 
Blake,  the  fact  of  actual  possession  was  the  only  title  to  the 
soil.  The  land  in  this  vicinity  was  not  brought  into  market 
until  1839 ;  and  the  Polish  claims,  which  will  be  considered  in 
a  subsequent  chapter,  did  not  permit  the  land  in  two  townships 
co  be  opened  to  sale  until  several  years  later.  Claims  were  made 
upon  lands,  deeds  were  executed  and  money  paid  for  lands  that 
were  still  in  technical  legal  possession  of  the  government.  In 
some  instances  several  transfers  were  made  before  the  original 
grantor  obtained  his  patent  from  the  government.  Three  facts 


SQUA TTER  SO  VEREIONTY  JUDICIARY.  77 

produced  this  peculiar  condition  in  the  real  estate  market.  The 
"floats"  which  were  given  certainhalf-breed  Winnebago  Indians 
by  the  treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien,  were  located  on  desirable 
lands  by  shrewd  land  speculators,  who  purchased  the  "floats" 
from  their  wards.  These  claims  were  given  precedence.  Another 
cause  was  the  claim  of  a  Polish  count  to  Rockford  and  Kockton 
townships.  The  third  factor  was  the  settlement  by  the  pioneers 
on  lands  several  years  before  they  were  advertised  for  sale  at 
the  land  office.  Thus  this  feature  of  local  history  is  quite 
complex.  Many  of  the  early  instruments  were  not  deeds,  but 
simply  transfers  of  claims,  or  agreements  to  sell  the  land  when 
the  titles  of  the  grantors  had  been  obtained.  These  transac- 
tions indicate  the  utmost  confidence  in  the  good  faith  of  the 
government,  and  this  confidence  was  never  misplaced. 

Under  these  circumstances,  however,  trouble  among  claim- 
ants was  inevitable.  There  was  no  golden  age  in  which  the 
brethren  always  dwelt  together  in  unity.  The  "transfigured 
menagerie,"  of  which  Dr.  Boardman  speaks,  when  the  lion  and 
the  lamb  should  lie  down  together,  was  not  fully  realized  on  the 
banks  of  Rock  river.  The  law  allowed  a  settler  to  hold  such 
land  as  he  could  enclose.  His  ambition  was  sometimes  greater 
than  his  ability  to  "enclose,"  which  was  occasionally  done  by- 
plowing  a  furrow  around  the  claim.  The  first  fences  were  of 
split  rails  or  sods.  The  latter  were  quite  extensively  built  at 
first,  but  were  soon  abandoned.  They  were*  made  by  building 
the  sides  of  cut  turf  and  filling  the  middle  with  earth.  When 
well  made,  these  fences  were  quite  attractive  to  the  eye.  Their 
insufficiency,  however,  soon  drew  attention  to  hedges,  and  after 
trials  of  many  kinds,  the  osage  orange  was  extensively  used. 
The  county  was  not  entirely  free  from  that  depraved  and  des- 
perate class,  who  usually  keep  in  advance  of  the  administration 
of  justice  by  the  regularly  established  institutions  of  law.  But 
these  soon  found  that  the  moral  atmosphere  around  them 
rendered  their  situation  not  only  uncomfortable,  but  actually 
dangerous;  and  they  were  warned  either  to  reform  or  emigrate. 

Although  difficulties  frequently  arose  among  settlers  in 
regard  to  their  respective  titles  to  land,  there  were  few  of  so 
serious  a  nature  that  they  were  not  peaceably  and  satisfactorily 
adjusted  by  the  claims  committee.  This  was  a  sort  of  squatter 
sovereignty  judiciary,  which  was  established  in  almost  every 
community.  When  complaint  was  made,  a  meeting  was  called, 
a  chairman  appointed,  and  a  verdict  rendered,  which  was  very 


78  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND   WINNEBAGO  COUNT!. 

generally  respected.  A  settler  who  had  made  what  was  consid- 
ered a  favorable  selection  of  land,  or  one  that  was  likely  from 
the  growth  of  the  county  to  become  valuable,  occasionally 
found  in  the  morning  that  a  board  shanty  had  been  put  up 
during  the  night  on  his  claim.  This  cabin  would  generally  be 
occupied  by  three  or  four  men,  friends  of  the  "jumper,"  who 
had  come  with  him  to  assist  in  maintaining  his  seizure.  These 
intruders  usually  had  their  shanties  ready  to  put  together.  The 
work  was  done  at  some  convenient  sawmill  where  lumber  could 
be  obtained.  It  was  then  loaded  on  a  wagon  at  night ;  and  by 
morning  they  would  have  the  house  put  up,  and  be  ready  to 
maintain  their  position  by  force  of  arms  in  what  they  called 
their  "castle."  The  decision  of  the  settlers' court,  in  the  matter 
of  "jumping  claims,"  was  usually  in  favor  of  the  man  who  had 
a  family,  and  who  intended  to  become  an  actual  settler ;  and 
it  was  always  carried  out  to  the  strict  letter. 

An  instance  occurred  in  Rockford  in  the  winter  of  1838-39, 
in  which  the  "jumper"  refused  to  submit  his  pretensions  to  the 
determination  of  this  tribunal,  but  persisted  in  completing  his 
building  upon  land  which  had  been  previously  recognized  as 
belonging  to  another.  The  neighbors  turned  out  almost  en 
masse,  carefully  raised  the  building  and  placed  it  upon  ox  sleds, 
and  with  their  teams  hauled  it  into  town.  On  the  top  of  the 
building  sat  Mark  Beaubien,  a  young  man,  who  tied  together  a 
number  of  red  handkerchiefs  into  a  flaming  banner,  which  he 
waved  in  triumph  over  that  portion  of  the  "land  of  the  free." 
On  either  side  of  the  cabin,  which  was  now  playing  the  role  of  a 
circuit-rider,  marched  the  citizens  in  procession,  one  hundred  or 
more  in  number.  Their  destination  was  the  residence  of  George 
W.  Brinckerhoff,  who,  it  was  alleged,  had  counseled  the  jumping 
of  the  claim,  and  who  would  be  interested  therein  should  it  be 
secured.  They  quietly  deposited  their  freight  in  Mr.  Brincker- 
hoff s  front  yard,  and  told  him  they  had  found  his  property 
astray  on  the  prairie;  and,  fearing  some  injury  might  come  to 
it,  they  had  deemed  it  their  duty  as  good  neighbors,  to  return 
it  to  him.  They  also  expressed  the  hope  that  he  would  exercise 
police  regulations  over  his  wayward  property.  The  citizens 
then  quietly  dispersed ;  and  it  is  said  no  further  trouble  arose 
from  that  source. 

Another  case  occurred  at  Twelve-Mile  Grove,  in  1844,  which 
resulted  in  the  death  of  one  of  the  claimants.  Two  men  started 
at  the  same  time  to  pre-empt  forty  acres  of  land  in  that  neigh- 


MURDER  AT  TWELVE-MILL  GROVE.  79 

borhood.  One  of  them,  named  Pierce,  found  on  reaching-  the 
place  that  Andrus  had  forestalled  him,  and  was  putting  up  a 
cabin.  Pierce  immediately  started  for  Dixon  on  horseback.  By 
hard  riding  he  reached  his  destination  the  same  day,  made  his 
entry  atthe  land  office,  received  his  certificate,  and  immediately 
returned.  When  he  arrived  on  the  tract  in  dispute,  he  found 
thereon  the  cabin  which  had  just  been  completed.  His  opponent 
had  labored  all  night  and  had  finished  his  cabin,  and  was  now 
away  at  breakfast.  Pierce  quickly  summoned  two  or  three  of 
his  friends;  and,  on  the  principle  that  possession  is  nine  points 
in  the  law,  they  entered  the  shanty,  locked  the  door  and  awaited 
developments.  When  Andrus  returned  he  found  that  he  had 
been  locked  out  of  the  cabin,  and  he  immediately  rallied  to  his 
aid  a  number  of  neighbors.  Terms  of  capitulation  were  offered 
and  refused,  and  hostilities  began.  The  inmates  could  not  be 
dislodged ;  and  as  a  last  resort  the  assailants  tried  to  overturn 
the  cabin.  They  had  raised  one  side  several  feet,  when  a  shot 
was  fired  from  within,  and  they  dropped  their  load.  As  the 
cabin  recovered  its  perpendicular  with  great  force,  the  board 
which  covered  the  window  fell  in,  and  one  of  the  attacking  party 
fired  through.  Pierce  sprang  though  the  window,  ran  a  few 
steps  and  fell  dead,  shot  through  the  heart.  The  participants 
in  the  disturbance  were  apprehended  for  riot.  One  of  them  was 
tried  for  murder;  but  it  could  not  be  proved  who  fired  the  fatal 
shot,  and  all  were  acquitted. 

The  treatment  of  a  Mr.  Brown,  who  came  to  Rockford  in 
the  winter  of  1837,  with  a  large  family  and  a  very  small  purse, 
has  been  told  by  other  writers.  Brown  built  a  log  cabin,  and 
moved  from  his  wagon  into  his  new  home.  He  was  thereupon 
told  that  his  castle  must  be  pulled  down,  as  the  claim  belonged 
to  Mr.  Spaulding,  who  was  then  at  St.  Louis.  Mr.  Brown  was 
not  easily  intimidated,  and  defended  his  rights.  One  day  a 
crowd,  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  besieged  his  cabin.  Brown 
confronted  them  with  a  musket.  Terms  of  settlement  were 
proposed.  "If  you  will  leave  this  claim,  we  agree  to  get  you  a 
better  one,  build  a  house,  and  furnish  you  with  provisions." 
The  ruse  was  successful.  The  terms  were  accepted,  and  the 
barricade  removed,  when  the  goods  were  ejected  from  the  cabin, 
which  was  torn  down,  and  the  logs  rolled  together  and  burned. 
Brown's  affects  were  hauled  into  the  woods,  and  his  family 
exposed  to  the  elements  on  a  cold,  stormy  night,  until  compas- 
sionate friends  gave  them  shelter.  Upon  Mr.  Spaulding's  return, 


80  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

he  denied  all  pretension  to  the  ownership  of  the  claim.  Other 
instances  occurred  in  the  county ;  but  as  land  titles  became 
settled,  these  controversies  ceased. 

Jonathan  Weldon,  who  settled  at  Westfield,  was  unpopular 
among  the  early  residents.  John  H.  Thurston  says  it  was  a 
common  story  in  early  days  that  Richard  Montague  emigrated 
from  New  Hampshire  mainly  that  he  might  be  at  a  comfortable 
distance  from  Weldon.  Mr.  Montague  was  somewhat  dismayed 
upon  his  arrival  inRockford,  to  find  that  Mr.  Weldon  was  to  be 
afellow  citizen.  Mr.  Weldon  was  intellectual  and  shrewd,  though 
seriously  deformed.  In  one  instance  he  successfully  opposed 
the  entire  bar  of  the  county  when  it  was  proposed  to  open  a 
road  through  his  land.  Weldon  did  not  live  at  peace  with  his 
neighbors ;  and  one  night  he  was  taken  from  his  house  by  a 
masked  party  and  carried  to  the  prairie,  where  they  made 
preparations,  as  he  then  believed,  to  hang  him.  However,  after 
a  consultation,  they  took  him  to  the  school  house,  and  left  him 
in  the  fire-place,  covered  with  tar  and  feathers.  Mr.  Weldon, 
however,  must  not  be  dismissed  without  reference  to  another 
phase  of  his  character;  and  this  has  been  presented  by  one  who 
knew  him  well.  In  a  letter  to  the  late  Hon.  E.  H.  Baker,  from 
Eureka,  California,  under  date  of  November  24,  1886,  C.  A. 
Huntington,  formerly  of  Rockford,  writes :  "Without  exception 
he  was  the  most  remarkable  man  I  ever  knew.  A  man  who 
never  walked  a  step  in  his  life,  yet  traveled  more  miles  than  any 
farmer  of  his  time.  He  settled  without  a  dollar  in  the  grove 
near  Rock  river,  and  took  up  a  large  farm  well  chosen  with  both 
prairie  and  timber.  His  children,  when  young,  two  sons  and 
two  daughters  (whose  mother  was  also  a  cripple  and  never 
walked  a  step  in  her  life),  while  yet  in  their  childhood  so  plied 
their  young  hands  to  work,  that  in  a  few  years  under  the  pru- 
dent management  of  parents,  both  of  whom  had  judgment 
and  tact,  that  they  had  fields  fenced  and  plowed,  they  had  a 
good  stock  of  horses,  mules,  swine,  cattle,  poultry,  and  money 
in  abundance.  Mr.  Weldon  was  a  man  of  education,  and  in 
spite  of  all  the  impediments  of  frontier  life  and  all  the  disadvan- 
tages under  which  he  labored,  a  cripple  himself  with  a  decrepid 
wife,  he  educated  his  children,  all  of  whom  took  rank  among 
the  best  settlers  of  the  county,  and  one,  his  oldest  son,  became 
a  clergyman." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE    COUNTY    DIVIDED.— "MILE-STBIP    CONTEST."— MINOR    NOTES. 

An  act  of  the  legislature,  approved  March  4,  1837,  provided 
for  the  reorganization  of  Winnebago  county,  and  the  creation 
of  Stephenson  and  Boone.  The  latter  was  named  in  honor  of 
Colonel  Daniel  Boone,  the  first  white  settler  of  Kentucky.  By 
this  act  Winnebago  county  was  reduced  to  one-half  its  original 
size.  The  reader  will  find  it  necessary,  in  tracing  the  boundary 
lines,  to  have  before  him  maps  of  Winnebago  and  Boone  coun- 
ties; also  some  acquaintance  with  the  township  survey  system. 
Confusion  will  arise  if  it  is  not  remembered  that  the  townships 
in  Winnebago  county,  west  of  the  third  principal  meridian,  are 
numbered  from  a  different  base-line  from  those  east  of  this 
meridian.  It  must  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  ranges  west 
of  the  third  principal  meridian  are  numbered,  not  as  ranges 
west  of  the  third  principal  meridian,  but  as  east  of  the  fourth 
principal  meridian. 

The  first  section  of  this  law  creates  Stephenson  county  from 
the  eastern  portion  of  Jo  Daviess  and  the  western  two  ranges 
of  Winnebago,  as  the  latter  had  been  organized  the  preceding 
year.  The  next  section  defines  the  new  boundary  of  Winnebago. 
The  line  begins  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Stephenson,  as  formed 
by  the  preceding  section ;  thence  running  east  on  the  state  line 
to  the  section  line  between  sections  five  and  six,  in  township 
forty-six  north,  range  three  east  of  the  third  principal  merid- 
ian; thence  south  on  said  section  line  to  the  south  boundary 
of  township  forty-three  north,  range  three  east:  thence  west  on 
said  township  line  to  the  third  principal  meridian ;  thence  north 
on  said  meridian  to  the  southeast  corner  of  township  twenty- 
six  north,  range  eleven  east  of  the  fourth  principal  meridian; 
thence  west  on  said  line  to  the  range  line  between  ranges  nine 
and  ten  east  of  the  fourth  principal  meridian ;  thence  north  to 
the  place  of  beginning. 

The  third  section  of  this  law  contemplated  the  boundaries 
of  Boone  as  they  now  exist,  except  the  mile-strip  on  the  west. 
This  law  was  seriously  defective  in  defining  the  boundary  lines. 
The  intention  of  the  legislature,  however,  was  obvious,  and  was 


82  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

accepted  until  two  years  later,  when  the  act  of  March  2,  1839, 
corrected  the  errors,  which  may  have  been  either  verbal  or  typ- 
ographical. This  act  also  proposed  to  extend  Boone  county  on 
the  east  to  include  the  western  range  of  townships  in  McHenry 
county,  provided  the  voters  in  those  townships  should  so  elect. 
As  Boone  never  extended  farther  east  than  at  present,  it  may 
be  inferred  that  the  settlers  residing  on  the  range  in  question 
voted  against  annexation  to  Boone.  The  writer  was  once  told 
by  the  late  Judge  Lawrence,  of  Booue  county,  that  about  1846 
this  question  was  again  submitted  to  the  voters  of  these  west- 
ern McHenry  townships,  and  that  an  election  was  carried  in 
favor  of  annexation  to  Boone,  but  that  this  expression  of  the 
popular  will  was  defeated  by  a  dishonest  postmaster,  who 
changed  the  election  returns  while  they  were  in  his  office  to  suit 
his  purpose. 

By  comparing  the  boundary  lines  of  Winnebago  and  Booue, 
as  defined  by  the  act  of  1837,  with  an  atlas  of  the  counties,  it 
will  be  observed  that  the  eastern  boundary  of  Winnebago  was 
exactly  one  mile  east  of  its  present  line.  Thus  established, 
Boone  was  only  eleven  miles  wide.  The  western  tier  of  sections, 
which  clearly  belonged  to  Boone  under  the  government  survey, 
was  denied  her  and  given  to  Winnebago. 

This  manifest  injustice  to  Boone  county  was  a  thorn  in  the 
flesh  of  her  citizens,  and  finally  precipitated  what  is  known  as 
the  "mile-strip  contest,"  the  most  bitter  controversy  of  those 
early  days.  The  statement  is  twice  made  in  Kett's  History  of 
Boone  county  that  the  assignment  of  this  mile-strip  to  Win- 
nebago in  1837  was  a  compromise  to  conciliate  conflicting 
interests  in  this  county.  These  "conflicting  interests"  were 
probably  the  ambitions  of  East  and  West  Rockford  for  the 
county  buildings.  The  extra  mile-strip  may  have  been  given  to 
Winnebago,  at  the  instance  of  clever  manipulators,  to  increase 
the  voting  strength  of  that  part  of  thecountyeastof  Rock  river. 

In  1843  the  question  of  annexing  this  mile-strip  to  Boone 
county  came  before  the  legislature.  An  enabling  act,  approved 
February  28th,  provided  that  sections  six,  seven,  eighteen,  nine- 
teen, thirty  and  thirty-one,  in  townships  forty-three,  forty-four, 
forty-five  and  forty-six,  range  three  east,  should  be  annexed  to 
Boone,  if  the  voters  on  the  mile-strip  should  so  elect.  The  strip 
comprised  what  is  now  the  western  tier  of  sections  in  the  town- 
ships of  Manchester,  Caledonia,  Belvidere  and  Flora,  in  Boone 
county.  An  election  was  ordered  to  be  held  at  the  house  of 


VICTORY  FOR  BOONE  COUNTY.  83 

Samuel  Keith,  in  the  village  of  Newburg,  Winnebago  county, 
May  4,  1843.  The  citizens  of  Rockford  were  deeply  interested 
in  the  result,  although  the  county  seat  had  recently  been  re-lo- 
cated on  the  West  side,  and  the  voters  the  preceding  year  had 
expressed  a  preference  for  that  side.  They  were  not,  of  course, 
allowed  to  vote.  Only  those  on  the  mile-strip  had  a  voice  in 
the  matter.  The  election  called  out  ninety-five  votes.  Fifty-one 
were  for  annexation  to  Boone,  and  forty-four  against  it ;  a 
majority  of  seven  in  favor  of  Boone.  This  election  added 
twenty-four  sections  of  valuable  land  to  our  eastern  neighbor, 
and  thus  greatly •  increased  her  taxable  property.  Had  this 
election  been  held  several  years  earlier,  the  result  might  have 
been  a  factor  in  determining  the  location  of  the  county  build- 
ings. But  under  the  circumstances,  it  had  no  such  influence. 
Additional  facts  upon  this  point  are  given  in  a  later  chapter 
devoted  to  the  prolonged  controversy  over  the  county  seat. 

In  1845  the  legislature  passed  an  act  which  provided  as 
follows :  "That  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  county  commissioners' 
court  of  the  county  of  Boone,  by  an  order  to  be  entered  upon 
the  records  of  said  court,  to  require  the  recorder  of  the  county 
of  Winnebago,  and  the  clerk  of  the  commissioners'  court  of  said 
county,  to  transcribe  into  a  book,  to  be  provided  for  that  pur- 
pose by  the  county  commissioners'  court  of  the  said  county  of 
Boone,  all  records  of  said  offices  relating  to  the  following  de- 
scribed territory  of  land,  to-wit:  Sections  six,  seven,  eighteen, 
nineteen,  thirty  and  thirty-one,  in  each  of  the  townships  of 
forty -three,  forty-four,  forty-five  and  forty-six,  in  range  three 
east  of  the  third  principal  meridian." 

This  act  referred  to  the  mile-strip ;  and  its  provisions  were 
faithfully  executed.  The  county  commissioners  of  Boone  pro- 
vided the  necessary  books,  and  required  the  clerk  and  recorder 
of  Winnebago  county  to  transcribe  therein  all  records  and 
orders  relating  to  the  strip.  When  completed,  this  transcript 
was  regularly  certified  and  forwarded  to  the  proper  official  in 
Boone,  and  placed  among  the  recorded  proceedings  of  its  court. 
This  transaction  completed  the  record  of  the  transfer  for  that 
county. 

The  first  tax  levy  was  ordered  by  the  county  commissioners' 
court,  at  its  March  term,  1837.  One-half  per  cent,  tax  was  levied 
on  town  lots,  horses  and  mares,  neat  cattle  above  three  years 
old,  watches,  carriages,  and  wagons,  and  a  tax  of  one-fourth  per 


84  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNT7. 

cent,  on  stock  in  trade.  Through  some  technicality,  this  levy 
was  declared  illegal,  and  a  second  levy  was  made.  At  that  time 
farm  lands  were  not  taxable.  They  were  not  placed  upon  the 
market  at  the  laud  offices  until  two  years  later,  and  for  three 
years  thereafter  they  were  exempt  from  taxation.  It  wa«  not 
until  1842-43  that  any  county  revenue  was  obtained  from  this 
source.  The  revenue  required  to  meet  the  expense  of  the  county 
until  the  lands  became  taxable  was  derived  from  assessments 
against  personal  property.  Under  this  order  the  total  amount 
levied  was  five  hundred  and  sixty -two  dollars  and  fifty-nine 
and  one-half  cents.  Of  this  sum,  two  hundred  and  ninety-eight 
dollars  and  twenty-nine  and  one-half  cents  were  assessed  upon 
personal  property;  and  two  hundred  and  sixty-four  dollars 
and  thirty  cents  on  lots  in  the  town  of  Winnebago,  owned  by 
non-residents.  At  that  time  the  assessment  was  made  by  the 
county  treasurer,  and  the  taxes  were  collected  by  the  sheriff. 
R.  J.  Cross,  the  treasurer,  consumed  fifteen  days  in  makingthis 
assessment.  His  compensation  was  thirty  dollars,  or  two  dol- 
lars per  day.  He  was  also  allowed  nine  dollars  and  twenty-eight 
cents,  for  receiving  and  disbursing  the  taxes  when  collected. 
This  commission  was  two  per  cent,  on  four  hundred  and  sixty- 
four  dollars,  the  amount  actually  collected. 

The  revenue  law  of  February,  1839,  changed  the  manner  of 
assessing  and  collecting  taxes.  The  county  commissioners' 
courts  were  authorized  to  appoint  one  or  more  assessors,  not 
exceeding  one  for  each  justice's  district;  also  a  suitable  person 
for  collector.  The  Whig  county  convention  of  1840  made 
nominations  for  county  assessor  and  collector;  but  they  must 
have  been  only  as  timely  suggestions  to  the  commissioners' 
court.  An  act  of  February,  1841,  restricted  the  commissioners' 
courts  to  the  appoiument  of  one  assessor  for  the  county.  From 
1838  to  1844,  Goodyear  A.  Sauford  collected  all  the  taxes  of 
the  county,  which  aggregated  from  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
seven  to  six  hundred  and  forty  dollars  per  annum  during  those 
years.  These  collections  were  made  in  part  by  virtue  of  his 
office  of  deputy  sheriff,  and  the  balance  by  special  appointment. 
This  system  was  superseded  a  few  years  later  by  the  township 
organization  law. 

This  chapter  may  properly  close  with  a  reference  to  the  day 
of  small  things.  The  first  frame  building  in  Rockf ord  was  erected 
in  1836,  by  Sidney  Twogood  and  Thomas  Lake.  It  was  a 


FIRST  FRAME  BUILDING.  85 

story-and-a-half  structure,  aud  stood  011  the  southwest  corner 
of  State  and  Madison  streets,  and  faced  east.  It  was  first 
occupied  as  a  general  store  by  Harry  W.  Bundy  and  George 
Goodhue.  The  latter  was  a  nephew  of  Dr.  Goodhue.  This  firm 
continued  in  business  there  only  about  two  years,  and  then 
removed  to  Beloit  in  the  spring  of  1838.  Many  years  later  this 
building  was  removed  to  the  lot  adjoining  the  railroad  track 
on  the  same  side  of  the  street,  where  it  remained  until  a  few 
years  ago,  when  a  stone  building  was  erected  on  the  site.  The 
second  frame  structure  was  built  for  Daniel  S.  Haight,  on  the 
northeast  corner  of  State  and  Madison  streets,  and  to  which 
reference  has  already  been  made.  While  this  building  was  in 
progress,  however,  Mr.  Haight  employed  a  force  of  carpenters 
in  constructing  a  small  frame  dwelling  house  on  lot  nine  of 
the  same  block.  He  lived  in  this  as  soon  as  it  was  enclosed. 
This  was  the  first  frame  house  in  Rockford  occupied  by  a  family. 
Mr.  Haight  had  vacated  his  first  log  house  for  the  Miller  family. 
James  B.  Marty n,  who  came  from  Alabama  upon  Mr.  Haight's 
solicitation,  claimed  to  have  built  the  first  frame  house  in  the 
county,  in  1836,  on  his  claim  on  the  State  road,  one  mile  east 
of  the  intersection  of  State  and  Third  streets.  Mr.  Martyn  died 
at  Belvidere  in  1881. 

The  first  theatrical  performance  was  given  October  29, 
1838,  in  the  old  Rockford  House.  The  manager  of  the  company 
was  the  elder  Jefferson,  father  of  the  world-renowned  Joseph 
Jefferson.  "Joe"  vras  but  a  youth,  and  acted  in  "Lord  Lovell," 
then  a  new  play.  The  company  was  weather-bound  in  Rockford 
while  enroute  from  Chicago  to  Galena.  The  river  was  not  pass- 
able by  reason  of  heavy  moving  ice.  The  last  time  the  famous 
impersonator  of  "Rip  Van  Winkle"  was  in  Rockford  he  related 
this  incident  to  a  local  reporter. 

The  first  tailor  in  Rockford  was  William  H.  Tinker,  who 
came  from  Massachusetts.  He  was  in  the  village  in  1836,  but 
he  did  not  consider  the  outlook  very  promising,  and  he  left  the 
field.  In  June,  1837,  Parson  King  Johnson,  from  Brandon, 
Vermont,  came  to  Rockford,  and  found  Mr.  Tinker's  cutting 
board  in  the  rear  room  of  Buudy  &  Goodhue's  store.  Mr.  Tinker 
returned  to  Rockford,  and  the  firm  of  Tinker  &  Johnson  became 
the  first  in  that  line  in  the  village.  The  firm  occupied  the  upper 
room  in  a  building  on  the  site  of  111  South  Madison  street. 
Mr.  Tinker  is  now  living  with  a  son  at  St.  Paul,  and  is  about 
eighty-six  years  of  age.  He  visited  Rockford  last  year.  Mr. 


8«  BISTORT  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

Tinker  is  au  uncle  of  Hon.  Robert  H.  Tinker,  and  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Barnum,  an  aunt  of  Mrs.  Harriott  Wight  Sherratt. 

The  first  shoemaker  was  Ezra  Barnum.  He  was  father  of 
Anson  Barnum  and  Mrs.  James  M.  Wight,  and  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  Sherratt.  Mr.  Barnum  came  from  Danbury,  Connecticut, 
in  the  summer  of  1837.  A  history  of  Danbury  shows  the  Bar- 
nums  to  have  been  an  old  family  of  that  city.  One  of  the  eight 
founders  of  the  city,  with  this  name,  died  in  1695.  Mrs.  M.  T. 
Trowbridge  is  descended  from  a  branch  of  this  family.  The 
history  was  written  in  part  by  J.  M.  Bailey,  the  well  known 
humorist  of  the  Danbury  News. 

The  first  brick  was  made  in  the  autumn  of  1837  by  Cyrus 
C.  Jenks,  in  Guilford,  about  three  and  a  half  miles  northeast 
of  the  town.  The  larger  portion  of  this  brick  was  used  for 
chimneys.  The  first  brick  house  was  a  small,  square  structure, 
one  story,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  block  eighteen,  on  First 
street,  opposite  the  public  square.  It  was  built  in  1838,  by 
John  H.  Morse.  The  first  carpenter  cannot  be  determined  with 
accuracy ;  but  it  is  probable  that  Thomas  Lake  and  Sidney 
Twogood  were  the  first  skilled  workmen.  The  first  saloon  was 
opened  in  1837,  by  Samuel  Little,  an  Englishman.  He  put  up 
a  small  one-story  building  near  316  East  State  street.  The  first 
blacksmith  was  probably  one  of  the  men  employed  by  Mr.  Kent. 
The  second  was  William  Penfield.  His  frame  building  was  on 
the  northeast  corner  of  Madison  and  Market  streets.  William 
P.  Dennis  was  the  first  house-painter,  and  in  1837  he  displayed 
his  skill  on  Mr.  Haight's  first  frame  house.  The  first  drug-store 
was  opened  early  in  the  summer  of  1838,  by  "Dr."  Marshal,  a 
Scotchman.  It  was  on  the  north  side  of  State  street,  about 
eighty  feet  from  the  river.  He  was  once  called  to  prescribe  for 
Dr.  Haskell,  who  refused  to  take  his  medicine.  It  proved  to  be 
seventy  grains  of  calomel.  The  first  bakers  were  Ephraim 
Wyman  and  Bethuel  Houghton,  who  did  business  in  1838  as 
partners  on  South  Main  street.  The  first  store  was  kept  by  John 
Vance,  in  a  log  cabin  on  South  First  street,  opposite  the  hay 
market.  He  subsequently  started  a  provision  store  at  Winne- 
bago,  when  that  village  seemed  likely  to  become  the  county  seat. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

NEW  ENGLAND  CONGREGATIONALISM.— THE  FIRST  CHURCH. 

NEW  England  Congregationalism  came  with  the  early  settlers. 
This  institution  was  firmly  established  within  three  years 
after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Kent  and  Mr.  Blake,  and  ^t  has  main- 
tained a  strong  and  influential  position  in  Rockford  until  the 
present  time.  The  First  Congregational  church  was  organized 
May  5,1837,  with  nine  members:  Rev.  John  Morrill,  Herman 
B.  Potter,  Israel  Morrill,  Richard  Morrill,  Elizabeth  P.  Morrill, 
Mary  J.  Morrill,  Sophia  N.  Morrill,  Minerva  Potter,  and  Eunice 
Brown.  The  only  survivor  of  this  membership  is  Richard  Morrill, 
who  is  now  living  with  his  son  in  Minnesota.  Mr.  Morrill  is 
ninety-four  years  of  age.  He  is  an  uncle  of  Mrs.  A.  M.  Catlin, 
of  Rockford.  The  church  was  founded  by  Rev.  John  Morrill,  at 
the  home  of  his  brother,  Israel  Morrill,  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river.  It  is  therefore  the  oldest  church  in  Rockford,  inasmuch 
as  the  First  Methodist  church,  formed  the  previous  year,  ceased 
to  exist.  The  three  Morrill  brothers  and  their  wives  constituted 
just  two-thirds  of  the  original  membership.  Two  weeks  later, 
May  19th,  there  were  five  accessions:  Edward  Gating,  Charles 
Works,  Asa  Crosby,  Mary  Crosby,  and  Mary  Danforth.  Mies 
Danforth  was  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Israel  Morrill.  Their  sister  Sarah 
was  the  wife  of  D.  A.  Spaulding,  the  surveyor.  Mrs.  Spaulding 
died  at  Alton,  Illinois,  August  22,  1887.  She  was  seventy-six 
years  of  age.  During  the  year  the  following  were  also  received 
into  membership :  Mary  Works,  wife  of  Charles  Works,  Deborah 
Barnura,  wifeof  EzraBarnum,  Eleazer  H.  Potter,  Adeline  Potter, 
Samuel  D.  Preston,  and  Mary  Preston.  -  The  last  named  mem- 
ber is  Mrs.  Selden  M.  Church,  who  is  the  only  survivor  among 
the  women  of  that  first  year's  congregation.  During  its  first 
year  the  church  had  attained  a  membership  of  twenty  souls. 
Israel  Morrill  and  H.  B.  Potter  were  the  first  deacons. 

The  first  confession  of  faith  and  form  of  covenant,  adopted 
temporarily  at  its  organization,  was  that  recommended  by  the 
Watertown  presbytery.  One  year  later,  May  4,  1838,  this  was 
displaced  by  the  articles  of  faith  and  covenant  of  the  Rock 


88  HISTORY  OF  EOCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

River  Congregational  Association.  At  the  first  meeting  it  was 
unanimously  voted  that  "all  persons,  before  uniting  with  the 
church,  should  sign  a  pledge  of  total  abstinence  from  all  intox- 
icating drinks  as  a  beverage."  Under  date  of  August  11, 1837, 
there  is  found  the  following  entry :  "The  resolution  touching  the 
slavery  question  being  agitated,  it  was  resolved  that  for  the 
present  the  subject  be  postponed,  to  receive  the  attention  and 
action  of  the  church  at  some  future  time."  No  other  record 
upon  this  subject,  however,  has  been  found. 

Rev.  John  Morrill  was  the  first  pastor.  Very  little  is  known 
of  him  previous  to  his  removal  to  the  west.  He  had  come  in  a 
farm  wagon  from  New  York  as  a  home  missionary  to  this 
county,  where  his  brother  had  previously  settled.  Mr.  Morrill 
served  as  pastor  one  year  from  May,  1837.  He  officiated  at 
the  organization  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Belvidere,  March 
17,  1839,  and  was  its  stated  supply  until  March  of  the  follow- 
ing year.  The  late  Mrs.  Eunice  Brown  Lyon  is  authority  for 
the  statement  that  Mr.  Morrill  received  no  formal  call  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  Congregational  church.  He  was  the  leading 
spirit  in  its  organization,  and  he  may  have  assumed  the  work 
with  the  understanding,  explicit  or  implied,  that  he  should 
serve  as  its  pastor  for  a  time.  Mrs.  Brown  also  says  that  the 
brethren  were  somewhat  slack  in  paying  the  pastor's  salary. 
This  delinquency,  however,  was  redeemed  by  the  ladies,  who 
secured  pledges  for  a  goodly  sum.  Mr.  Morrill  was  a  devout 
man,  who  labored  for  the  spiritual  growth  of  the  people.  He 
placed  emphasis  upon  pecuniary  reward  only  so  far  as  it  was 
necessary  for  his  support.  This  pioneer  minister  died  at  Peca- 
tonica  February  16, 1874. 

Soon  after  its  organization  the  church  held  services  in  the 
"stage  barn,"  built  by  Daniel  S.  Haight,  near  the  intersection 
of  State  and  Third  streets.  Only  a  few  years  ago  this  structure 
was  standing  on  the  farm  of  Isaac  Rowley,  near  the  city.  In 
the  summer  of  1838  the  trustees  began  the  erection  of  a  frame 
structure  on  the  west  side  of  North  First  street,  on  a  site  near 
the  residence  of  Irving  French.  When  the  building  had  been 
enclosed  and  shingled  it  was  learned  that  Messrs.  Kent  and 
Brinckerhoff  had  obtained  about  eight  hundred  dollars  from 
friends  in  New  York,  for  a  church.  Instead  of  turning  over  this 
money  to  the  society  to  complete  the  church,  these  gentlemen 
built  an  edifice  on  their  own  side  of  the  river.  This  building 
was  raised  in  the  summer  of  1838,  and  enclosed  the  same  sea- 


FIRST   METHODIST  CHURCH 

Built  in  1846  on  the  site  of  the  Centennial  Church 


FIRST  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH 

Built  in  1838  by  Germanicus  Kent  and  George  W.  Brinckerhotl,  on  the  southwest 

corner  of  Church  and  Ureeu  streets     The  building  was  used  as  a  place  of 

worship  by  the  Second  Congregational  church  from  1849  to  1858 


THE  FIRST  CHURCH  EDIFICE.  89 

son.  When  it  was  completed  they  turned  it  over  to  the  society 
for  worship,  but  retained  their  nominal  title.  At  that  time  they 
possessed  no  legal  title  to  the  land  from  the  government. 
Those  eastern  friends  knew  but  little  of  the  power  for  good  of 
this  beautiful  little  church,  in  laying  the  foundations  of  a  pros- 
perous Christian  community.  The  unfinished  building  on  North 
First  street  was  abandoned,  and  was  never  afterward  used  by 
this  church  as  a  house  of  worship.  It  was,  however,  devoted  to 
other  purposes,  which  will  be  noted  in  subsequent  chapters. 

The  building  erected  by  Kent  and  Brinckerhoff  was  the 
first  church  edifice  in  Rockiord.  It  stood  on  the  -southwest 
corner  of  Church  and  Green  streets.  It  was  a  frame  structure, 
clapboarded,  in  Doric  style,  forty-five  feet  square  inside,  and 
stood  on  a  foundation  of  blocks  of  trees  cut  in  the  adjoining 
grove,  with  sills  resting  upon  them  about  three  feet  above  the 
ground.  In  fact,  the  greater  portion  of  the  building  material 
was  obtained  from  adjacent  lots.  The  building  fronted  to  the 
east,  and  had  three  windows  on  each  side.  A  porch  about  ten 
feet  wide  extended  across  the  front,  covered  by  an  extension  of 
the  roof,  which  was  supported  by  four  fluted  wooden  columns. 
On  the  east  end  of  the  roof  stood  a  cupola,  or  belfry,  about 
eight  feet  square,  ten  feet  high,  and  covered  by  a  hip  roof.  This 
cupola  had  a  bell,  whose  tones  seemed  sweeter  to  the  worship- 
ers on  a  quiet  Sabbath  morning  than  any  other  which  they 
have  heard  in  Rockford  since  that  time.  This  bell  was  taken 
away  by  the  owner,  Rev.  Cyrus  L.  Watson,  upon  the  close  of 
his  pastorate.  The  building  was  plastered,  and  painted  white 
inside.  Two  doors  led  to  the  sanctuary  from  the  front ;  two 
aisles  extended  from  these,  which  made  four  rows  of  pews.  The 
pulpit  at  the  west  end  was  large,  high,  and  enclosed  by  panel 
work,  and  withal  was  capable  of  withstanding  a  siege.  The 
singers'  gallery  was  formed  by  raised  pews  at  the  eastern  end 
of  the  auditorium.  This  structure  was  plain,  but  neat  and 
substantial,  and  its  pure  white  exterior,  with  a  background  of 
oak  trees  in  the  surrounding  forest,  made  it  beautiful  for  situa- 
tion, and  the  joy  of  its  friends.  This  sylvan  sanctuary  was 
occupied  by  the  First  church  about  six  years. 

The  Ladies'  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  organized  in 
1838,  just  one  year  after  the  founding  of  the  church.  The  orig- 
inators of  this  movement,  like  the  founders  of  the  church,  were 
largely  from  New  England,  who  had  been  interested  in  foreign 
missions  and  education  in  their  eastern  homes,  and  who  had 


90  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

not  left  their  zeal  behind  them,  although  they  might  properly 
have  considered  themselves  on  home  missionary  ground.  The 
object  of  the  society  is  briefly  stated  in  its  preamble:  "In  view 
of  the  deplorable  condition  of  millions  in  this  and  foreign  lands, 
who  are  destitute  of  the  word  of  life,  and  esteeming  it  a  duty 
and  privilege  to  aid  by  prayer,  contribution  and  influence  the 
great  work  of  evangelizing  the  world,  we,  the  ladies  of  Rockford, 
feeling  that  united  influence  is  far  the  most  powerful,  agree  tc 
form  ourselves  into  a  society  for  the  promotion  of  this  object." 
The  first  year  there  were  thirty-six  contributors.  In  May,  1838, 
the  society  made  its  first  appropriation  to  a  girls' school  inDin- 
degal,  in  southern  India.  All  sectarian  feeling  was  merged  in  a 
common  desire  to  fulfill  the  great  commission.  Episcopalians, 
Baptists  and  Unitarians  were  among  its  early  members.  As 
near  as  can  be  ascertained,  a  Sunday-school  was  organized  in 
the  spring  of  1839. 

The  second  pastor  was  Rev.  Cyrus  L.  Watson,  who  served  the 
church  from  November,  1838,  to  May,  1841.  He  was  a  genial, 
social,  elderly  gentleman,  a  good  pastor,  and  he  was  highly 
esteemed.  His  death  occurred  at  Battle  Creek,  Michigan.  Rev. 
William  S.  Curtis,  D.  I).,  supplied  the  pulpit  from  November, 
1841,  to  August,  1842.  Dr.  Curtis  subsequently  became  pastor 
of  the  Westminster  Presbyterian  church.  His  death  occurred 
in  1885,  and  his  funeral  was  held  June  1st,  from  the  Westmin- 
ster church.  Dr.  Curtis'  son,  Edward  L.  Curtis,  is  a  professor 
in  the  Yale  divinity  school.  Prof.  Curtis  married  a  sister  of 
Rev.  B.  E.  S.  Ely,  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church.  The 
senior  Curtis  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Oliver  W.  Norton,  who  was 
pastor  fror^  September,  1842,  until  some  time  in  the  following 
year.  He  possessed  that  argumentative  type  of  mind  which 
was  common  among  the  clergymen  of  the  old  school.  Rev. 
Lansing  Porter  served  a  brief  pastorate  from  February,  1844, 
to  April,  1846. 

In  the  spring  of  1846  the  church  dedicated  a  new  house  of 
worship  on  the  East  side.  It  was  a  brick  structure,  and  stood 
on  the  northeast  corner  of  South  First  and  Walnut  streets,  on 
the  site  of  the  engine  house.  Its  dimensions  were  forty  by  sixty 
feet;  the  walls  were  twenty  feet  high.  A  projection  at  the  rear 
formed  a  recess  for  the  pulpit.  The  roof  was  one-quarter  pitch, 
with  a  square  tower  on  the  center  of  the  front,  rising  about 
twenty  feet.  From  this  tower  a  bell  called  the  people  to  their 
public  devotions.  The  bell  belonged  to  Rev.  Norton,  and  he 


REMINISCENCES  OF  THE  BRICK  CHURCH.  91 

took  it  with  him  when  he  went  away.  W.  A.  Dickerman,  as 
agent  for  the  church,  subsequently  purchased  a  Meneely  bell  in 
New  York,  weighing  six  hundred  and  forty  pounds.  When  it 
was  brought  to  town  by  team  it  was  first  delivered  in  a  ware- 
house. So  anxious  were  the  people  to  hear  a  bell  in  Rockford, 
that  a  platform  was  extemporized,  so  that  it  rang  out  loud 
and  clear,  and  attracted  all  the  parishioners,  before  it  was  taken 
to  the  church. 

No  picture  of  this  church  is  known  to  have  been  preserved. 
The  exterior  was  finished  nearly  in  the  Tuscan  style  of  arch- 
itecture, and  it  presented  a  very  attractive  appearance.  A 
vestibule  extended  across  the  interior  front,  with  a  choir  gal- 
lery overhead.  In  this  vestibule  were  held  the  prayer-meetings 
of  the  church.  Two  aisles  extended  from  the  vestibule  to  the 
pulpit  at  the  rear  of  the  church.  The  pews  were  shut  in  by 
doors  in  the  old-fashioned  way.  This  building  had  a  seating 
capacity  of  about  three  hundred  and  fifty,  and  cost  not  far  from 
eight  thousand  dollars.  Galleries  were  subsequently  built,  with 
a  seating  capacity  of  one  hundred  and  fifty.  This  church  contin- 
ued to  be  the  house  of  worship  for  this  congregation  until  1870. 

The  construction  of  a  new  house  of  worship  is  frequently, 
and  perhaps  generally,  followed  by  a  change  in  the  pastorate. 
Such  was  the  experience  of  this  society  soon  after  the  dedication 
of  its  new  church.  The  resignation  of  Rev.  Lansing  Porter  was 
followed  by  a  call  to  the  Rev.  Lewis  H.  Loss,  whose  pastorate 
began  in  August,  1846. 

Many  recollections  of  those  early  days  are  recalled  by  citi- 
zens who  are  still  residents  of  the  city.  "Everybody  went  to 
church  in  those  days,"  said  H.  H.  Waldo  on  one  occasion,  while 
in  a  reminiscent  mood.  "I  sang  with  the  ladies,  the  Misses 
Silsby  and  others,  in  the  First  Congregational  church,  when  it- 
was  where  the  East  side  fire  station  is  now.  I  could  write  a 
book  of  the  pranks  and  jokes  of  the  members  of  that  choir  and 
my  early  friends.  I  remember  one  Sunday  Jason  Marsh  came  to 
church  wearing  the  first  pair  of  prunella  shoes  that  we  had  ever 
seen.  He  stuck  them  up  conspicuously  on  the  railing.  I  came 
in  from  the  country  with  my  boots  all  covered  with  mud,  and 
espying  those  prunella  shoes,  put  mine  up  beside  them.  He 
took  his  down,  and  was  never  known  again  to  sit  with  his  feet 
on  the  choir  rail. 

"Catlin  Spafford,"  continued  Mr.  Waldo,  "used  to  be  door- 
keeper at  the  First  church,  and  while  the  minister  was  praying, 


92  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  FORD  AND  WIN  NEB  AGO  COUNTY. 

would  allow  LIO  one  to  take  a  seat.  I  reached  church  one  cold 
day  just  as  Dr.  Loss  had  started  prayer,  and  it  was  no  fun 
standing  outside.  'Cat.,'  says  I,  'how  much  longer  will  he  be?  ' 
He  pulled  out  his  watch.  'Fifteen  minutes;  he's  just  praying 
for  the  Mexican  war,'  Mr.  Spafford  answered."  In  reply  to 
the  question  as  to  whether  he  remembered  any  of  the  girls  of 
those  days,  Mr.  Waldo  said:  "Well,  1  should  say  so.  There 
were  a  lot  of  them,  but  they  are  all  dead  and  gone  to  heaven 
now.  There  were  Mrs.  Kriowlton,  Mrs.  Hitchcock,  Mrs.  George 
W.  Barnes,  Mrs.  General  Chetlain,  who  was  Miss  Edwards, 
and  others." 

Upon  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  church, 
Dr.  Goodwin  prepared  a  memorial  address,  which  abounded  in 
those  felicitous  character  sketches  for  which  he  was  noted.  A 
few  of  those  personal  allusions  to  the  members  of  the  church 
and  congregation  who  worshiped  in  the  old  brick  church  are 
quoted  herewith.  E.  H.  Potter  was  indeed  a  pillar  both  of  the 
church  and  the  community,  a  granite  column  whose  firmness 
and  solidity  of  character  no  force  of  circumstances  or  opinions 
of  others  could  shake.  His  place  in  the  sanctuary  was  as  fixed 
and  constant  as  that  of  the  seasons,  and  his  support  of  the 
gospel  and  all  Christian  charity  was  relied  on  with  a  confidence 
like  that  we  repose  in  the  laws  of  nature.  Joel  Potter,  his 
brother,  was  also  a  pillar,  but  of  a  somewhat  different  type.  He 
was  of  a  more  gentle  and  flexible  mould,  more  delicate  in  feeling 
and  sensibility,  less  self-poised  and  resolute,  at  least  in  manner, 
though  not  wanting  in  strength  of  conviction  and  of  character. 
He  was  a,  leader  in  the  spiritual  concerns  of  the  church,  as  the 
other  was  in  its  material  affairs.  His  wise  spiritual  exhorta- 
tions came  from  a  soul  that  knew  how  to  commune  with  God 
and  had  learned  the  ways  of  the  Spirit.  Deacon  Skinner  was 
undemonstrative,  humble-minded,  plain  and  even  rustic  in  his 
nature  and  habit,  but  disclosing,  like  certain  rough  minerals,  a 
hidden  ore  of  gold  to  those  who  examined  it.  Deacon  Crosby 
was  one  of  those  silent,  modest,  thoughtful  and  steadfast  souls 
whose  power  lies  in  their  character,  rather  than  in  what  they  say 
and  do.  Deacon  Baker  was  familiarly  known  and  revered  as 
"Good  Deacon  Baker."  Dr.  Goodwin's  memory  of  himwaslike 
that  of  a  long,  mellow,  sunshiny  afternoon  in  autumn,  when 
the  sun  seems  to  shine  lovingly  and  lingeringly  on  all  things, 
and  to  impart  a  golden  luster  to  every  thing  on  which  it  shines. 
Bela  Shaw  was  a  man  whom  to  know  at  all  was  to  esteem.  His 


FIRST  PIPE  ORQAN.-RUFUS  HATCH,  ORGANIST.  93 

urbanity  of  manner,  the  combined  integrity  and  gentleness  of 
bis  bearing,  his  uniform  kindness  and  courtesy,  and  the  soul  of 
honor  and  integrity  that  shone  through  it  all,  and  gave  to  his 
character  a  diamond  luster— these  traits  marked  him  as  the 
true  gentleman.  Volney  A.  Marsh  was  a  devoted  member,  and 
superintendent  of  the  sabbath-school.  William  H.  Townsend 
proved  his  faith  by  his  works.  He  was  modest  and  sensitive  as 
awoman,  retiring  and  almostshy  in  his  disposition,  and  shrank 
from  all  display  or  publicity.  He  was  the  very  soul  of  honor 
and  integrity.  He  felt  the  slightest  breath  of  suspicion  as  a 
deadly  iniasma  that  infected  the  seat  of  life  and  struck  at  the 
vitals  of  his  character.  David  S.  Penfield,  a  member  of  the 
society,  was  highly  esteemed  for  his  Christian  character.  He 
was  one  of  the  pillars  upon  which  the  church  and  society  leaned 
for  support.  Samuel  I.  Church  was  one  of  its  earliest  and  most 
constant  supporters.  William  T.  Wallis  was  distinguished  for 
his  generous  social  qualities,  refined  courtesy  and  gentleness  of 
spirit.  He  was  a  true  Christian  gentleman  and  helper. 

The  pipe  organ  used  in  the  church  was  built  by  H.  H.  Silsby 
and  his  brother.  The  organist  at  one  time  was  Rufus  Hatch, 
who  subsequently  removed  to  New  York,  and  became  one  of  the 
most  famous  operators  of  Wall  street.  During  his  residence  in 
Rockford  he  was  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  business,  on  East 
State  street,  near  the  site  of  Mr.  Coyner's  drug  store.  His  home 
was  on  South  Madison  street,  where  Miss  Kate  O'Connor's 
residence  now  stands.  Mr.  Hatch  removed  from  Rockford 
about  1856.  His  house  was  purchased  by  Dr.  Hale,  who  lived 
in  it  until  he  built  another  on  the  corner,  where  Mrs.  Hale  now 
resides.  When  Mr.  Hatch  became  wealthy,  he  presented  the  pipe 
organ  which  is  now  in  use  in  the  present  house  of  worship,  to 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Goodwin.  The  Doctor  was  pastor  when  this  church 
was  dedicated.  This  splendid  gift,  which  cost  about  four  thou- 
sand dollars,  was  Mr.  Hatch's  personal  token  of  esteem  for  Dr. 
Goodwin.  Some  time  later  Dr.  Goodwin  preached  a  sermon  on 
Music,  in  which  he  referred  to  its  high  place  in  Christian  wor- 
ship. At  the  close  of  this  discourse  Dr.  Goodwin  said  that  he 
and  Mrs.  Goodwin  relinquished  all  claim  to  the  organ.  "It  is 
henceforth  neither  mine  nor  yours,  but  the  Lord's,  to  whom  I 
now  dedicate  it." 

Mrs.  E.  P.  Catlin  recalls  the  time  when  the  young  people 
were  not  so  prominent  in  the  devotional  meetings  as  in  these 
later  years.  Upon  this  point  Mrs.  Catlin  writes  this  interesting 


94  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNT  J. 

reminiscence :  "The  social  life  of  the  church  was  of  a  very  sedate 
and  discreet  quality  in  those  days.  The  prayer-meeting  could 
hardly  be  called  a  social  function.  I  heard  one  of  sainted  mem- 
ory liken  it  to  a  pole  under  a  sagging  clothes-line.  It  always 
braced  her  up  at  the  right  point.  We  young  people  rarely 
invaded  its  sacred  precincts,  and  I  recall  how  we  admired  the 
courage  of  the  sisters  who  dared  to  say  a  few  words  in  these 
meetings.  I  am  sure  we  could  detect  a  little  apprehensive  quiver 
in  their  voices,  lest  they  receive  merited  rebuke,  but  the  sweet 
words  of  counsel  or  admonition  uttered  by  Mrs.  Mary  Potter, 
Mrs.  Mary  Penfleld  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Catlin  are  among  those 
beautiful  early  memories.  The  singing  by  the  church  choir 
was  truly  a  part  of  the  worship,  and  not  a  musical  entertain- 
ment merely.  Prominent  and  dignified  members  of  the  church 
were  willing  to  assist  in  the  singing.  We  can  recall  the  clear 
soprano  of  Miss  Sill,  principal  of  the  seminary,  and  the  deep 
bass  of  'Squire  Marsh,  whose  position  as  one  of  the  first  lawyers 
did  not  prevent  his  giving  his  services  gladly.  The  little  wheezy 
melodeon  contributed  its  quota  when  the  day  of  the  tuning-fork 
had  passed.  In  all  this  the  children  and  very  young  people  had 
noplace.  .  .  .  In  comparing  this  social  life  with  the  present, 
nothing  is  more  marked  than  the  absence  of  young  people 
in  the  church  membership,  as  well  as  in  its  relations. 
While  some  of  our  church  entertainments  bring  and  deserve 
criticism,  the  younger  element  is  certainly  more  in  evidence 
now,  and  adds  very  materially  to  our  efficiency  and  enjoyment." 

Dr.  Loss'  pastorate  continued  until  November,  1849.  He 
was  a  man  of  ability  and  thorough  education.  He  went  from 
Rockford  to  Joliet,  where  he  had  charge  of  a  church  until  1856. 
His  last  pastorate  was  at  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  where  he  died. 
In  his  last  illness  he  longed  to  see  his  old  friend  and  physician, 
Dr.  Lucius  Clark,  of  this  city ;  and  his  church  sent  for  the  Doctor 
and  paid  his  traveling  expenses. 

Dr.  Loss  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Henry  M.  Goodwin,  D. 
D.,  who  perhaps  gave  to  the  church  its  most  distinctive  pastor- 
ate. It  extended  from  August,  1850,  to  January,  1872.  This 
period  of  more  than  twenty-one  years  constitutes  fully  one- 
third  of  its  entire  history.  The  interim  between  the  departure 
of  Dr.  Loss  and  Dr.  Goodwin's  acceptance  of  a  call  was  sup- 
plied by  Prof.  Joseph  Emerson,  of  Beloit  college.  Dr.  Goodwin 
was  a  native  of  Hartford,  Connecticut.  He  was  graduated 
from  Yale,  and  the  Rockford  church  was  his  first  parish.  A 


REV.  HENRY  M.  GOODWIN,  D.  D.  95 

long  and  close  acquaintance  with  Dr.  Goodwin  was  necessary 
in  order  to  form  a  correct  estimate  of  his  character.  With  the 
reserved  quiet  of  the  scholar,  he  "opened  not  his  heart  to  each 
passer-by."  His  people  enjoyed  his  sermons,  and  carried 
thoughts  from  them  through  the  busy  week;  thoughts  that 
inspired  to  high  endeavor,  and  stirred  a  feeling  of  reverence 
toward  the  pastor.  The  intellectual  quality  and  literary  finish 
of  his  sermons  did  not  always  insure  general  appreciation.  He 
did  not  aspire  to  be  a  "popular  preacher,"  in  the  modern  use  of 
the  term.  Some  of  his  admirers  would  have  been  surprised  if 
they  had  been  told  that  Dr.  Goodwin  possessed  a  keen  sense  of 
humor,  and  that  he  could  tell  a  bright  story  in  a  charming  way. 
He  was  criticised  for  not  always  recognizing  acquaintances  on 
the  street;  yet  this  same  abstracted  scholar  knew  the  little  ones 
of  the  flock  by  name;  and  no  one  could  be  more  tender  in  his 
ministrations  when  sickness  and  sorrow  came  into  the  home. 

Dr.  Goodwin  was  a  progressive  thinker;  and  in  certain  lines 
he  was  far  in  advance  of  his  time.  On  one  occasion  he  remarked 
that  the  name  of  one  of  the  church  papers,  the  Advance,  should 
be  changed  to  the  Retreat.  Had  the  term  "higher  criticism" 
been  in  vogue  in  his  day,  he  would  have  been  classed  with  such 
critics.  His  broad  Christian  charity  caused  some  anxiety 
among  his  more  conservative  friends.  This  fact  was  illustrated 
during  revival  services  about  1860,  when  Dr.  Goodwin  invited 
a  Unitarian  minister,  with  others,  to  join  in  the  meetings.  The 
censure  thus  incurred  was  not  measured  or  unspoken.  One 
zealous  man  gave  utterance  to  his  amazement  and  indignation 
at  the  service  in  question.  He  was  allowed  free  and  full  expres- 
sion of  his  feelings  without  protest.  After  he  had  finished,  Dr. 
Goodwin  arose,  and  in  gentle,  dignified  tones,  repeated  Leigh 
Hunt's  famous  poem,  "Abou  Ben  Adhem" — may  his  tribe  in- 
crease. Ben  Adhem  truly  loved  his  fellow  men,  and  so  the 
angel,  who  came  to  him  by  night,  recorded  his  name  among  the 
first  of  those  whom  the  love  of  God  had  blest.  The  moral  was 
obvious ;  and  the  silence  that  followed  this  recital  was  of  that 
quality  that  could  be  felt.  No  finer  illustration  of  Dr.  Good- 
win's all-embracing  aud  forgiving  charity  could  have  been  given. 

Dr.  Goodwin  was  an  enthusiastic  disciple  of  Dr.  Horace 
Bushnell.  In  his  work,  The  Vicarious  Sacrifice,  Dr.  Bushnell 
formulates  in  a  clear  and  forcible  manner  the  moral  influence 
theory  of  Christ's  atonement.  Dr.  Bushnell  and  Dr.  Goodwin 
believed  that  the  substitutionary  and  the  governmental  views 


96  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

were  inconsistent  with  an  enlightened  conception  of  God.  For 
this  position  they  were  not  infrequently  charged  with  heresy. 
Dr.  Bushnell's  later  book,  Forgiveness  and  Law,  is  believed 
to  contain  some  modification  of  his  former  radical  views.  But 
Dr.  Goodwin  reverently  and  earnestly  preached  this  doctrine  of 
the  divine  sacrifice  during  his  entire  pastorate ;  and  since  his 
day  it  has  been  taught  by  many  progressive  thinkers  in  the 
Congregational  church ;  and  during  the  last  ten  years  it  has 
gained  rapidly  in  other  evangelical  bodies.  Dr.  Goodwin  testi- 
fied to  his  regard  for  his  illustrious  teacher  by  naming  his 
son  Horace  Bushnell  Goodwin. 

Dr.  Goodwin's  pleasant  home  while  in  Rockford  was  on 
Kishwaukee  street.  His  lots  extended  from  the  corner  on  First 
avenue  to  Col.  Lawler's  home.  The  house,  which  stood  near  what 
is  now  206  Kishwaukee  street,  now  stands  in  the  rear  of  the 
Carpenter  Block,  and  fronts  on  First  avenue.  Mrs.  Goodwin 
was  an  aunt  of  Mrs.  Clara  G.  Sanford  and  Miss  Blanche  Goodall. 
Before  her  marriage  she  was  a  teacher  at  the  seminary. 

Many  of  the  young  men  and  women  of  that  period,  whose 
faces  are  now  turned  toward  life's  setting  sun,  are  sure  that  of 
Dr.  Goodwin  it  could  be  said  :  "Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart, 
for  they  shall  see  God." 

Soon  after  leaving  Rockford,  Dr.  Goodwin  wrote  a  book 
entitled  Christ  and  Humanity,  which  was  published  by  the 
Harpers.  It  was  dedicated  to  his  friend  in  these  noble  words  : 
"To  Horace  Bushnell,  my  revered  friend  and  teacher,  whose  pro- 
found and  sanctified  genius  has  made  the  world  his  debtor,  and 
whose  eminent  services  to  Christianity  in  the  reconciliation  of 
faith  and  reason  await  the  verdict  of  the  future  ages,  these  later 
studies  of  Christian  doctrine  are  filially  and  affectionately  in- 
scribed by  the  author. ; '  This  work  was  written  while  the  author 
was  enjoying  an  extended  sojourn  in  Germany.  In  1875  Dr. 
Goodwin  was  called  to  the  chair  of  English  literature  by  the 
college  at  Olivet,  Michigan,  which  he  filled  for  several  years. 
His  death  occurred  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Weld,  in 
Williamstown,  Massachusetts,  March  1, 1893.  Dr.  Goodwin  was 
seventy-one  years  of  age.  His  remains  were  brought  to  Rock- 
ford  for  burial. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

FIRST  PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATION. — THE  POSTOFFICE.— FIRST  COURTS. 

THE  patriotism  of  the  little  village  did  not  differ  essentially 
from  the  prevailing  type.  It  necessarily  found  its  expres- 
sion in  more  primitive  ways  than  it  does  at  the  present  time. 
There  was  such  a  display  of  eloquence  and  gunpowder  as  the 
times  afforded;  and  the  amusements  differed  somewhat  from 
those  of  today. 

The  morning  of  July  4,  1837,  was  welcomed  with  the  boom 
of  all  available  artillery.  William  Penfield's  blacksmith's  anvil 
did  heroic  service.  The  "boys"  spent  a  long  time  in  drilling  a  hole 
for  priming.  One  held  a  drill  down  with  a  lever,  while  another 
drilled.  (The  subsequent  owner  of  the  anvil  would  not  allow 
the  patriots  to  use  it  in  later  years  for  salutes;  but  they  took  it, 
nevertheless,  and  made  it  ring.)  A  hickory  liberty-pole  was 
raised  near  what  is  now  310  East  State  street.  Patriotic  exer- 
cises were  held  in  Mr.  Haight's  barn,  which  stood  in  the  grove 
near  the  intersection  of  State  and  Third  streets.  The  bay  was 
floored  for  the  speakers,  and  the  threshing-floor  was  occupied 
by  the  ladies.  Charles  I.  Horsman  read  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  and  Hon.  John  C.  Kemble  was  the  orator  of  the 
day.  Dinner  was  served  in  the  old  Rockford  House,  by  the 
proprietor,  Henry  Thurston.  The  main  part  of  the  building 
had  been  covered  with  a  roof,  and  was  sided  to  the  first-story 
windows.  Loose  boards  were  laid  for  a  floor,  tables  were 
arranged,  and,  in  the  absence  of  crockery,  the  cold  meat  was 
served  on  shingles.  The  tickets  for  this  dinner  were  sold  at  one 
dollar  each,  and  this  feature  of  the  celebration  was  a  financial 
success.  J.  Ambrose  Wight,  in  a  letter  written  many  years 
later,  referred  to  the  celebration  in  this  wise:  "The  seventeen- 
year  locusts  were  on  hand  and  gave  us  such  music  as  they  had ; 
sufficient  at  least  in  quantity.  And  in  seventeen  years  again 
they  were  on  hand  in  the  same  vicinity ;  that  is,  their  successors 
were.  After  the  celebration  there  was  a  dinner  with  toasts  given 


98  HISTORY  OF  EOCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

and  liquors  swallowed.  But  a  temperance  society  was  organ- 
ized in  the  barn  during  the  afternoon.  The  elder  Mr.  Potter, 
Eleazer  or  Herman,  I  forget  which — but  who  lived  near  by  in 
the  grove,  was  the  leader  in  the  movement." 

The  celebration  was  concluded  with  a  public  ball,  the  first 
in  the  county,  given  in  Mr.  Haight's  barn.  John  H.  Thurston, 
in  referring  to  this  event,  says:  "Some  shirting  was  tacked  to 
the  studding  about  one  room  for  a  ladies' dressing-room."  The 
orchestra  consisted  of  three  pieces.  In  this  day  they  would  be 
called  violins ;  but  sixty-three  years  ago  they  were  simply  com- 
mon fiddles.  The  leader,  Mr.  Thurston  says,  was  "old  Jake 
Miller,  whose  only  dancing  tune  was  'Zip  Coon.'  "  Thus  passed 
the  first  celebration  of  the  national  holiday  in  Rockford. 

This  observance  of  the  day,  however,  was  not  the  first  in 
the  county.  July  4,  1836,  when  Belvidere  was  in  Winnebago 
county,  the  citizens  of  that  village  let  loose  their  patriotism  in 
quite  unconventional  fashion.  Dr.  Daniel  H.  Whitney  has  given 
this  vivid  pen-picture  of  the  day :  "Young  Morn  shook  from 
her  purple  wings  as  glorious  a  Fourth  as  ever  kissed  Aurora's 
cheek  when  she  unbarred  the  gates  of  light,  and  no  more  patri- 
otic and  grateful  hearts  beat  in  American  bosoms  on  that 
glorious  day  than  did  those  of  the  citizens  of  Boone,  as  with  all 
available  material  at  our  command,  an  old  rifle,  a  tolerable 
shot-gun  and  a  pocket  pistol,  the  old  settlers  took  their  position 
on  the  mound,  raised  a  liberty-pole,  from  which  fluttered  in  the 
breeze  a  pocket  handkerchief  having  the  portraits  of  the  presi- 
dents around  its  border,  and  being  the  nearest  approach  to  a 
national  flag  of  anything  in  these  'diggings.'  We  read  the  Dec- 
laration of  Independence,  fired  a  national  salute,  gave  three 
times  three  that  frightened  the  Indian  from  his  wigwam,  and 
the  red  deer  from  his  covert." 

The  first  postmaster  was  Daniel  S.  Haight,  who  served  from 
August  31, 1837,  to  June  26,  1840.  The  first  mail  arrived 
about  September  15th.  Previous  to  this  time  the  small  pack- 
ages of  mail  had  been  brought  from  Chicago  by  parties  who 
made  trips  to  that  city  for  supplies.  An  order  for  mail  upon 
the  postmaster  at  that  office,  to  which  each  man  attached  his 
name,  was  left  at  Mr.  Haight's  house.  The  first  mail  was 
brought  on  horseback,  the  second  by  a  carrier,  and  the  third 
by  open  wagon  with  two  horses.  After  the  postoffice  had  been 
established,  the  contract  for  carrying  the  mail  was  made  with 


ARRIVAL  OF  THE  FIRST  MAIL.  99 

John  D.  Winters.  About  this  time  Winters  became  associated 
with  Frink,  Walker  &  Co.  Still  later  Winters  was  on  the  line 
west  from  Rockford,  and  finally  Frink,  Walker  &  Co.  carried 
the  mail  on  the  through  line.  Previous  to  January,  1838,  the 
mail  arrived  from  Chicago  once  a  week.  In  1839-40  the  mails 
arrived  from  the  west  and  east  each  three  times  a  week.  The 
northern  and  the  southern  mails  came  once  a  week ;  the  mail 
from  Mineral  Point  arrived  on  Saturday,  and  the  mail  from 
Coltonville  came  on  Wednesday. 

The  first  mail,  in  September,  arrived  with  no  key,  and  it 
was  returned  unopened.  When  the  second  mail  arrived  a  key 
had  been  provided,  but  the  postmaster  was  not  equal  to  the 
combination,  and  he  turned  it  over  to  Giles  C.  Hard,  who  solved 
the  problem.  Its  contents,  about  a  hatful,  were  received  with 
a  general  handshaking.  The  postage  was  twenty-five  cents  for 
each  letter,  and  stamps  were  unknown.  That  amount  of  money 
then  represented  the  highest  respectability;  the  mail-bags  were 
therefore  lean,  while  the  letters  were  plump.  These  missives  were 
read  and  re-read  until  they  were  almost  committed  to  memory. 
They  came  from  loved  ones  far  away,  and  were  regarded  with  a 
degree  of  sanctity.  Letters  from  the  east  were  from  fifteen  to 
thirty  days  in  transit.  Should  the  postmaster  find  that  letters 
had  been  written  to  Several  persons,  and  enclosed  in  one  envel- 
ope as  a  measure  of  economy  in  postage,  he  was  supposed  to 
collect  twenty-five  cents  from  each  person  so  receiving  a  letter. 
Mr.  Haight  erected  a  small  building  sixteen  by  twenty-six  feet, 
one  and  a  half  story,  in  the  summer  of  1837,  for  a  postoffice, 
near  107  South  Madison  street.  There  were  about  twenty-five 
boxes.  This  building  was  used  until  the  following  year,  when 
Mr.  Haight  erected  a  more  commodious  structure,  near  312 
East  State  street,  with  ante-room  and  boxes.  This  building 
was  used  for  this  purpose  during  several  administrations. 

The  act  establishing  the  county  had  provided  that  until 
public  buildings  should  be  erected,  the  circuit  courts  should  be 
held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Kent  or  Mr.  Haight,  as  the  county 
commissioners  should  direct.  At  the  first  session  of  this  court 
it  was  ordered  that,  pending  the  location  of  the  county  seat, 
the  circuit  courts  should  be  held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Haight. 
An  examination  at  the  circuit  clerk's  office  reveals  the  almost 
incredible  fact  that  no  records  of  this  court  previous  to  1854, 
except  the  simple  dockets  of  the  judge,  have  been  preserved. 


100          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

The  conclusion  must  be  drawn  that  this  docket  was  the  only 
record  made  at  the  time.  Memoranda  kept  by  individuals  have 
given  facts  upon  which  the  official  records  are  silent. 

The  first  circuit  court  convened  at  the  house  of  Daniel  S. 
Haight,  October  6,  1837.  This  is  the  frame  building  which 
stood  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Madison  and  State  streets, 
and  a  part  of  which  is  now  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Second 
and  Walnut  streets.  At  that  time  there  was  no  elective  judic- 
iary. Under  the  old  constitution,  the  justices  of  the  supreme 
court  and  the  judges  of  the  inferior  courts  were  appointed  by 
joint  ballot  of  both  branches  of  the  general  assembly.  Un- 
der this  same  fundamental  law,  these  courts  appointed  their 
own  clerks.  The  state's  attorney  was  also  appointed.  The 
statute  of  1835  provided  that  the  general  assembly,  on  joint 
ballot,  at  that  session,  and  every  two  years  thereafter,  should 
choose  one  state's  attorney  for  each  judicial  circuit. 

At  this  first  court  Hon.  Dan.  Stone,  of  Galena,  was  the  pre- 
siding judge.  Seth  B.  Farwell  was  appointed  state's  attorney 
pro  tern;  and  James  Mitchell,  then  of  Jo  Daviess  county,  clerk. 
Mr.  Mitchell  held  this  position  until  1 846,  when  he  was  chosen 
superintendent  of  the  lead  mines.  He  was  succeeded  as  clerk  by 
Jason  Marsh,  who  was  appointed  by  Judge  Thomas  C.  Brown. 
The  offices  of  circuit  clerk  and  recorder  were  separate  until  the 
second  constitution  went  into  effect,  when  they  were  united, 
and  this  officer  was  made  elective. 

The  petit  jurors  on  duty  at  the  first  term  were:  Edward 
Gating,  James  B.  Marty n,  Joel  Pike,  William  Pepper,  Richard 
Montague,  Isaac  N.  Cunningham,  Thatcher  Blake,  Henry 
Thurston,  Charles  1.  Horsman,  David  Goodrich,  James  Jack- 
son, and  Cyrus  C.  Jenks.  There  were  but  two  trials  by  jury,  and 
these  were  of  very  little  importance. 

The  sessions  of  May,  1838,  and  April  18,  1839,  were  also 
held  at  Mr.  Haight's  house ;  although,  for  convenience,  a  room 
in  the  Rockford  House,  on  the  corner  west,  was  actually  used 
when  more  room  was  required.  The  first  grand  jury  was  impan- 
eled at  the  May  term,  1838.  The  names  of  this  jury  were : 
Anson  Barnum,  Lyman  Amsden,  Isaac  Johnson,  James  Sayre, 
H.  M.  Wattles,  Asa  Daggett,  H.  W.  Gleason,  Samuel  Gregory, 
Asa  Crosby,  Daniel  Beers,  Walter  Earle,  Isaac  Hance,  Benjamin 
T.  Lee,  E.  H.  Potter,  Paul  D.  Taylor,  Lyman  B.  Carrier,  Aaron 
Felts,  Cyrus  C.  Jenks,  James  B.  Marty  n,  Livingston  Robbins, 
Henry  Enoch,  and  Luman  Pettibone.  Anson  Barnum  was 


EMINENT  BARRISTERS.  101 

appointed  foreman.  At  this  term  the  usual  order  was  reversed, 
in  that  the  judge  occupied  one  of  the  few  chairs  in  the  house, 
while  the  jury  "sat  on  the  bench." 

The  first  building  erected  for  the  use  of  courts  and  religious 
meetings  was  built  by  Mr.  Haight,  in  the  summer  of  1838,  on 
the  southeast  corner  of  Madison  and  Market  streets,  on  the  site 
of  the  American  House.  It  was  a  frame  structure,  about  sixteen 
by  thirty-two  feet,  with  one  story.  This  house,  with  additions, 
is  now  the  residence  of  William  G.  Conick.  In  this  building  were 
probably  held  the  sessions  of  November,  1839,  and  April,  1840. 
Several  of  the  lawyers  who  attended  the  courts  in  those  days 
attained  distinction  in  their  profession.  Among  these  may  be 
mentioned  Judge  Drummond,  then  of  Galena,  who  removed  to 
Chicago  and  became  a  judge  of  a  federal  court;  Thompson 
Campbell,  of  Galena;  Joel  Wells,  who  canvassed  the  district  for 
congress;  Norman  B.  Judd,  of  Chicago;  and  Seth  B.  Farwell 
and  Martin  P.  Sweet,  of  Freeport.  The  famous  John  Went- 
worth,  "Long  John,"  made  his  maiden  speech  in  Rockford,  as 
attorney  in  a  case  that  promised  to  bring  him  prominently 
before  the  public-.  Mr.  Wentworth  made  frequent  visits  to 
Rockford  in  later  years ;  and  for  several  terms  he  represented 
the  Belvidere  district  in  congress. 

September  12, 1840,  the  county  purchased  the  abandoned 
building  on  North  First  street,  which  had  been  commenced  by  the 
First  Congregational  church  two  years  before.  The  considera- 
tion was  six  hundred  dollars.  The  deed  was  executed  by  H.  B. 
Potter,  E.  H.  Potter  and  S.  D.  Preston.  Since  the  building  had 
been  abandoned  by  the  Congregationalist  people  it  had  been 
used  as  a  carpenter's  shop.  When  the  county  obtained  posses- 
sion the  building  was  partially  finished  so  that  the  courts  could 
be  held  there.  The  session  of  September  10,  1840,  and  subse- 
quent sessions  were  held  at  this  place,  until  the  transfer  of  the 
court  house  to  the  West  side. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE    STAGE    COACH. — EARLY    HOTELS. — VILLAGE    PLATS. 

THE  state  roads  naturally  prepared  the  way  for  the  stage 
coach.  The  railroad  had  not  then  reached  this  western 
region,  and  the  only  common  carrier  was  "the  coach  and  four." 
Stage  lines  were  then  running  from  Chicago  in  several  direc- 
tions. They  carried  mails,  passengers  and  light  parcels.  Frink, 
Walker  &  Co.  became  famous  throughout  this  region  as  the 
proprietors  of  the  one  stage  line  which  connected  Chicago  with 
Rockford.  It  is  impossible  to  determine  the  precise  date  when 
the  stage  coach  began  to  make  regular  trips  on  this  line  as  far 
west  as  Rockford.  It  is  certain  that  it  had  thus  become  an 
established  institution  not  later  than  January  1, 1838.  On 
that  day  the  arrival  of  the  stage  coach  in  Rockford  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  people  of  the  village,  and  large  numbers 
came  from  the  surrounding  country  to  witness  the  spectacle. 
The  stage  office  in  Chicago  was  for  a  long  time  at  123  Lake 
street,  and  later  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Lake  and  Dearborn. 

Frink,  Walker  &  Co.  first  ran  their  stage  lines  only  from 
Chicago  to  Rockford.  The  coaches  were  always  drawn  by  four 
horses.  In  1840  the  schedule  time  from  Chicago  to  Rockford 
was  advertised  to  be  twenty-four  hours.  Horses  were  changed 
at  intervals  of  fifteen  miles,  at  stations  built  for  this  purpose. 
Frink,  Walker  &  Co.'s  stage  barn  in  Rockford  was  the  well 
known  barn  near  the  intersection  of  State  and  Third  streets, 
and  faced  north  and  south.  It  was  built  in  1836  for  Mr.  Haight 
by  Sidney  Twogood  and  Thomas  Lake.  Few  buildings  in  the 
county  have  served  more  diverse  uses.  It  was  there  the  first 
patriotic  exercises  were  held  ;  there  the  First  Congregational 
people  first  held  public  services  on  the  East  side.  When  Frink, 
Walker  &  Co.  purchased  the  building,  it  was  moved  a  few  rods 
west,  and  turned  to  face  east  and  west.  There  the  first  quar- 
terly meeting  of  the  First  Methodist  church  was  held  in  the 
summer  of  1838. 

Coaches  left  the  main  office  in  Chicago  every  Sunday,  Tues- 
day and  Thursday,  and  returned  on  alternate  days.  The  fare 
from  Chicago  to  Rockford  was  five  dollars.  Mrs.  Charles  H. 


THE  FIRST  TAVERNS.  103 

Spafford  writes  as  follows  of  her  first  journey  :  "From  Chicago 
I  traveled  by  stage,  one  of  the  old'Frink  &  Walker's,'  stopping 
at  night  in  one  of  the  extremely  primitive  wayside  inns  of  that 
early  period.  The  accommodations  were  not  extensive  nor 
luxurious  in  these  little  hostleries.  I  was  awakened  in  the  night 
by  a  light  in  my  room,  and  saw  a  man  at  the  foot  of  my  bed, 
busy  with  two  large  mail  bags.  It  was  the  postmaster  chang- 
ing the  mail.  Remembering  the  limitations  of  the  place,  I 
immediately  took  in  the  situation,  and  made  no  outcry.  It  was 
a  dreary  ride  from  Chicago  to  Rockford  in  the  old  stage,  and  I 
was  very  glad  to  arrive  at  the  end  of  my  journey,  where  my 
brother  was  waiting  for  me  at  the  Rockford  House." 

From  Rockford  to  Galena  the  stage  line  was  conducted  for 
a  time  by  John  D.  Winters,  of  Elizabeth,  a  little  town  south  of 
Galena.  The  route  first  passed  through  Elizabeth,  but  subse- 
quently the  more  direct  route  was  by  way  of  Freeport.  The 
first  stopping-place  west  of  Rockford  was  Twelve-Mile  Grove. 
Mr.  Winters  retired  from  the  business  after  a  time,  and  then 
Frink,  Walker  &  Co.  had  the  entire  line  from  Chicago  to  Galena. 
William  Cunningham,  who  still  resides  in  this  city,  was  in  the 
employ  of  this  firm  at  one  time  as  a  driver  between  Twelve-Mile 
Grove  and  Freeport. 

The  first  hotel  in  Rockford  was  the  Rockford  House.  The 
early  public  houses  were  more  generally  called  taverns.  Before 
the  Rockford  House  was  built,  Mr.  Kent  and  a  number  of  the 
other  settlers  had  entertained  strangers,  but  not  as  regular 
hotel-keepers.  The  Rockford  House  was  built  by  Daniel  S. 
Haight  and  Charles  S.  Oliver.  It  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  building.  The  wing  was  finished  in 
the  autumn  of  1837,  when  the  house  was  opened  by  Henry  Thurs- 
ton.  The  third  story,  which  was  divided  into  two  rooms,  was 
reached  by  a  ladder,  which  was  made  by  slats  nailed  to  two 
pieces  of  the  studding,  in  the  first  Btory  of  the  main  building. 
The  proprietor's  son  John  was  an  important  functionary.  He 
made  the  beds  and  escorted  the  guests  up  the  ladder  when  they 
retired.  He  was  admonished  by  his  sire  not  to  drop  the  melted 
tallow  from  the  dip  upon  his  guests.  Mr.  Thurston's  successors  as 
landlord  wereLathrop  Johnson,  Daniel  Howell,  Andrew  Brown, 
J.Schaeffer,  Abel  Campbell,  E.  Radcliff,  Major  John  Williamson. 

The  second  hotel,  the  Washington  House,  was  built  in  1838 
by  two  brothers,  Jacob  B.  and  Thomas  Miller,  and  opened  to 


104          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

the  public  the  following  year.  It  stood  sixty  feet  front  on  State 
street,  with  large  additions  in  the  rear,  with  basement  kitchen, 
dining-room,  and  sleeping  apartments  above  the  dining-room. 
The  street  in  front  was  graded  down,  and  ten  or  twelve  steps 
were  built.  This  elevation  above  the  street-level  proved  quite 
a  serious  objection,  and  the  house  was  abandoned,  and  it  stood 
vacant  for  some  years.  The  ground  was  then  excavated ,  the 
house  turned  to  the  street,  and  lowered  to  the  grade.  The  name 
of  this  hotel  was  changed  to  the  Rock  River  House.  A  part  of 
the  building  stands  on  307  East  State  street,  and  is  occupied 
as  a  fruit  store.  Another  part  is  the  saloon  building  on  the 
southeast  corner  of  State  and  Madison  streets.  The  successive 
proprietors  of  the  house  were :  Jacob  Miller,  David  Paul,  Mc- 
Kenney  &  Tyler,  E.  S.  Blackstone,  W.  Fulton,  H.  D.  Searles,  L. 
Caldwell. 

The  Log  Tavern,  known  as  the  Stage  House,  was  opened  in 
1838.  It  was  built  on  the  old  Second  National  Bank  corner. 
Brown's  Cottage  was  opened  in  1850,  by  Andrew  Brown.  The 
name  was  changed  to  the  American  House  in  1852  by  G.  S. 
Moore,  The  Waverly  and  the  Union  House,  near  the  North- 
western depot,  on  the  West  side,  were  opened  in  1852.  The 
Inn,  which  was  located  where  the  Chick  House  now  stands,  was 
opened  in  1840  by  Spencer  &  Fuller.  The  Eagle  Hotel  was 
opened  in  1841.  It  was  located  on  South  Main  street,  in  the 
third  block  below  State. 

In  1837-38  several  towns  were  projected  in  Winnebago 
county.  One  was  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  on  what  was 
called  Big  Bottom,  nearly  opposite  the  stone  quarry.  A  man 
named  Wattles  staked  out  his  farm  into  lots  and  streets,  and 
called  it  Scipio;  but  even  its  classic  name  did  not  give  it  pres- 
tige. The  proprietor  built  the  only  house  ever  completed.  The 
stakes  remained  for  several  years,  until  they  were  plowed  under 
by  the  owner,  who  could  not  give  away  his  lots. 

Another  town  was  started  by  the  river,  at  what  is  known 
as  the  old  Shumway  place.  At  one  time  there  were  from  thirty- 
five  to  forty  frames  erected  there ;  but  only  a  few  of  them  were 
ever  enclosed.  This  fact  gave  the  place  the  appropriate  name 
of  "Rib-town."  Later  many  of  these  frames  were  torn  down 
and  removed.  Several  were  taken  to  new  farms,  and  others 
were  brought  to  Rockford.  It  is  certain  that  two  or  three 
"Rib-town"  frames  were  re-erected  in  the  city.  One  was  owned 


HON.  EPHRAIM  SUAtNER.  105 

by  Jonathan  Hitchcock,  and  located  on  North  Second  street; 
and  another  by  a  Mr.  Ricard,  on  the  same  street.  One  frame 
was  placed  beside  the  Shumway  house,  as  a  part  of  it.  Mark 
Beaubien  finished  one  two-story  house,  and  occupied  it  with  his 
family  for  two  or  three  years,  when  they  removed  to  Chicago. 

In  1839-40  George  W.  Lee  platted  a  town  on  the  west  or 
upper  side  of  Kishwaukee  river,  at  its  junction  with  Rock  river, 
in  what  is  now  New  Milford  township.  Quite  a  town  was  act- 
ually built,  with  two  stores  and  a  blacksmith  shop.  A  large 
building  for  a  seminary  was  enclosed  and  partially  finished,  but 
it  was  never  used  for  this  purpose.  Although  an  excellent 
building,  and  standing  in  a  sightly  place,  it  was  allowed  to 
remain  until  all  the  windows  were  broken  out.  The  frame  was 
finally  torn  down  and  the  lumber  hauled  away.  This  first 
attempt  to  found  a  seminary  in  Winnebago  county  will  be 
considered  in  the  next  chapter.  Both  "Rib-town"  and  Mr.  Lee's 
plat  were  named  Kishwaukee;  but  the  former  was  abandoned 
before  George  W.  Lee  platted  the  second.  Thelatter  was  some- 
times called  Leetown,  in  honor  of  its  founder. 

Colonel  James  Sayre,  a  settler  of  1835,  projected  the  village 
of  Newburg.  He  built  a  sawmill  and  afterward  pat  up  a  grist- 
mill in  the  same  building,  which  began  to  grind  early  in  the 
winter  of  1837-38.  Colonel  Sayre  carried  on  the  business  for 
several  years.  It  was  the  first  gristmill  built  in  the  northern 
counties,  and  was  of  great  value  to  the  settlers.  Mr.  Thurston 
says  he  went  there  with  a  bushel  of  wheat  on  his  pony  the  third 
day  after  the  machinery  started.  There  was  no  bolting  appa- 
ratus, and  the  meal  was  sifted  by  hand.  The  machinery  was 
crude,  and  the  mill  was  abandoned.  Newburg  is  today  only  a 
cross-roads,  with  nothing  to  remind  the  visitor  of  the  time 
when  it  was  considered  a  rival  of  Belvidere  and  Rockford. 

Perhaps  few  persons  now  living  have  ever  heard  of  the 
Vanceborough  postoffice.  Vanceborough  was  another  name 
for  Twelve-Mile  Grove,  on  the  State  road,  about  halfway  from 
Rockford  to  Freeport.  Ephraim  Sumner  settled  near  there  in 
1835.  Mr.  Sumner  was  born  in  Winhall,  Vermont,  February  9, 
1808.  In  1810  his  parents  removed  to  Darien,  New  York,  where 
they  remained  until  1821,  when  they  settled  in  Massachusetts. 
Mr.  Sumuer  engaged  in  milling  and  farming  near  Twelve-Mile 
Grove,  and  became  an  extensive  land-owner.  He  represented 
this  district  in  the  twenty-sixth  general  assembly,  and  held 
several  minor  civil  offices.  Mr.  Sumner  married  a  sister  of 


106        HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

Thatcher  Blake.  Their  children  are  Hon.  E.  B.  Sumner  and 
Mrs.  Annie  S.  Lane.  Mr.  Sumner  was  one  of  the  very  few  early 
settlers  who  accumulated  a  large  fortune.  His  last  years  were 
spent  in  Rockford.  Mr.  Sumner  died  October  18, 1887.  February 
11, 1845,  Mr.  Sumner  was  commissioned  postmaster  at  Vance- 
borough.  He  was  to  retain  the  office  during  the  pleasure  of  the 
postmaster-general.  The  commission  is  signed  by  C.  Wickliffe, 
who  was  postmaster-general  during  the  administration  of  John 
Tyler.  The  seal  is  the  figure  of  a  man  on  horseback,  with  a  small 
mail-bag  upon  his  back.  Both  man  and  horse  are  apparently  in 
great  haste  to  reach  the  next  station.  This  commission,  now 
in  possession  of  Hon.  E.  B.  Sumner,  is  well  preserved,  although 
it  was  issued  fifty-five  years  ago.  The  elder  Sumner  built  a 
stone  house  at  Vanceborough,  which  is  still  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation,  and  has  well  nigh  outlived  the  memory  of  the 
town.  These  primitive  villages  along  the  old  stage  lines  were 
superseded  by  the  railway  station,  and  they  now  scarcely  live 
in  memory. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

DR.  A.  M.  CATLIN. — THE  FOOTE  BROTHERS. — FIRST  SEMINARY  IDEA. 

DR.  A.  M.  CATLIN  emigrated  to  Illinois  from  the  Western 
Reserve,  in  Ohio,  in  February,  1838,  in  company  with  the 
Rev.  Hiram  Foote  and  Silas  Tyler.  This  party  traveled  the 
entire  distance  in  wagons.  They  were  of  New  England  stock, 
and  were  part  of  a  movement  to  found  an  institution  of  learn- 
ing similar  to  the  one  then  flourishing  at  Oberlin,  Ohio. 

The  brothers,  Hiram,  Lucius  and  Horatio  Foote,  all  clergy- 
men, were  prominent  in  this  movement.  They  were  more  or 
less  influenced  by  the  example  of  the  Rev.  Charles  G.  Finney, 
the  famous  revivalist  and  founder  of  the  Oberlin  institution. 
Mr.  Ira  Baker,  Rev.  Lewis  Sweasy,  James  S.  Morton,  a  Mr. 
Field,  and  others  moved  from  the  Western  Reserve  to  Rockford 
about  the  same  time,  and  under  the  same  influences.  Upon 
their  arrival  in  Rockford,  the  only  hotel  to  be  found  was  a 
double  log  cabin,  and  the  only  bed  discovered  by  Doctor  Catlin 
for  himself  and  boy  was  a  thinly  covered,  dislocated  and  dislo- 
cating stratum  of  oak  shakes,  supported  at  the  sides  by  the 
naked  logs — a  Spartan  bed  for  a  cold  night.  Horace,  a  fourth 
brother  of  the  Footes,  had  preceded  the  others  by  a  year,  and 
secured  a  log  cabin  on  Rock  river,  about  two  miles  above  Rock- 
ford.  Into  this  single  room,  with  a  small  loft,  were  crowded 
three  families,  with  several  children. 

Dr.  Catlin  moved  to  a  log  cabin  on  the  bluff  overlooking 
Big  Bottom,  four  miles  north  of  Rockford.  A  Hoosier  by  the 
name  of  Shores  had  worn  a  slight  track  between  his  home  back 
on  the  hills  and  a  plowed  field  on  the  Bottom,  and  this  was  the 
only  road  near  the  Doctor's  new  home.  A  small,  inconstant, 
near-by  stream,  like  the  road,  lost  itself  in  the  dry  prairie. 

At  that  time  Dr.  Catlin  intended  to  abandon  the  practice 
of  medicine.  To  feed  his  little  family,  he  hired  a  broken  prairie 
of  Herman  B.  Potter,  who  lived  two  miles  south  of  Rockford. 
This  land,  six  miles  from  home,  the  Doctor  cultivated  under 
difficulties,  for  it  soon  became  known  to  the  scattered  people 
that  he  was  a  physician,  and,  like  Cincinnatus,  he  was  called 
from  the  plow.  He  was  not  a  man  to  deny  the  necessities  of 


108         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND   WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

others ;  and  agaiust  liis  wishes  at  the  time,  he  was  drawn  into 
the  practice  of  his  profession,  which  he  continued  until  near  the 
day  of  his  death,  nearly  sixty  years  later.  He  had  practiced  in 
early  life  in  New  York  and  Ohio,  and  his  entire  professional  serv- 
ice lasted  seventy  years.  He  died  in  1 892,  at  the  age  of  ninety-one. 

On  one  occasion  while  at  work  on  the  Potter  place,  Dr. 
Catlin  was  summoned  to  visit  a  sick  person  on  the  Kishwaukee. 
He  took  his  horse  from  the  furrow  near  sunset,  and,  sending; 
his  boy  of  eight  on  foot  six  miles  northward  to  the  lonely  cabin 
on  the  prairie,  he  himself  rode  southward  to  his  patient.  He 
soon  learned  that  his  profession  was  a  jealous  mistress,  and 
abandoned  farming. 

The  missionary  educational  managers  had  selected  the 
mouth  of  the  Kishwaukee  as  the  site  of  their  institution.  A 
large  building  was  begun,  but  never  completed,  and  the  useless 
frame  survived  for  years  as  evidence  of  the  untimeliness  of  their 
effort.  An  Indian  wigwam  still  survived  on  the  same  site.  The 
Indians,  after  their  bloody  victory  over  the  indiscreet  militia 
at  Stillman's  Run,  had  abandoned  the  region,  and  the  military 
expedition,  which  included  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Jefferson 
Davis,  had  been  withdrawn.  Silver  brooches,  arrow  heads  and 
the  like  were  found  beside  the  deep,  narrow  Indian  trails  that 
wound  about  the  bluffs  and  across  the  prairies.  Kishwaukee, 
however, soon  had  about  forty  frame  dwellings,  and  Dr.  Catlin, 
Mr.  Tyler,  Mr.  Field,  Mr.  Johnson  and  others  resided  there. 

»  Lucius  and  Horace  Foote  had  staid  by  the  log  house  of  the 
latter,  and  Dr.  Catlin,  whose  wife  and  Mrs.  Lucius  Foote  were 
sisters,  was  induced  by  this  fact  and  other  reasons,  to  build  in 
this  neighborhood,  which  lie  did.  He  hewed  the  logs  and  the 
floor  puncheons,  and  split  the  roof  shakes  with, his  own  hands. 
His  door  and  door-frames  were  made  from  purchased  material, 
but  lacked  glazing  or  other  filling  for  the  skylight.  As  he  sat 
one  evening  "under  his  own  vine  and  fig  tree,"  not  yet  planted, 
there  passed  a  load  of  noisy  revelers.  As  they  drove  furiously 
by,  they  shook  out  a  wagon  end-board  that  exactly  filled  the 
skylight  aperture,  and  completed  the  house,  which  the  builder 
probably  enjoyed  as  much  as  any  he  ever  occupied  ;  that  is,  in 
the  recollection  of  it. 

Although  Rockford  was  from  the  first  clearly  indicated  as 
the  coming  metropolis,  by  the  ford  which  gave  its  name,  yet 
Kishwaukee  below  and  Winnebago  above  were  "boomed."  In 
those  days  they  could  compare  population  with  Rockford. 


SIXTY  PRESCRIPTIONS  IN  ONE  DAY.  109 

Dr.  Catlin  finally  settled  in  Rockford  about  1839,  and  entered 
upon  a  medical  practice  which,  if  not  large,  was  very  "wide,"  as 
it  carried  him  from  Roscoe  and  above  on  the  north,  to  Still- 
man's  Run  on  the  south,  and  from  Twelve-Mile  Grove  and 
beyond  to  Belvidere.  Much  of  this  was  night  riding.  After  the 
settlers'  horses  had  done  their  day's  work,  and  after  the  fall  of 
darkness,  in  the  silence  of  the  night,  when  watchers  became 
nervous,  in  the  midst  of  storms  and  when  the  primitive  house- 
hold lights  burned  pale,  was  the  accepted  time  to  send  for  the 
medical  comforter;  and  the  nocturnal  "Hollo,  Doctor!"  was 
often  heard  above  the  storm  at  the  physician's  door.  He  was 
never  ill,  and  never  refused  to  answer  the  call.  Even  when  his 
own  horse  failed,  he  was  mounted  behind  the  messenger,  and 
rode  out  in  the  night  to  relieve  the  sick.  Once  he  was  persuaded 
to  mount  the  back  of  a  sturdy  messenger,  who  bore  him  and  his 
precious  medicine-bag  through  the  swellings  of  icy  Kishwaukee. 

The  year  1846  was  signalized  by  much  sickness.  Nearly 
every  family  living  on  low  land  had  malarial  fever,  and  the 
doctors  were  busy  people.  At  one  time  Dr.  Catlin  could  get 
but  four  or  five  hours'  sleep  out  of  the  twenty -four,  and  he  would 
become  so  exhausted  that  he  frequently  slept  while  riding  from 
house  to  house.  One  day's  ride,  for  example,  included  a  trip  of 
several  miles  north  of  Rockford,  and  then  a  tour  south  beyond 
the  Killbuck,  and  a  return  by  Cherry  Valley,  closing  the  day's 
work  in  the  following  morning.  Thirty  calls  were  made,  and 
sixty  patients  prescribed  for  on  that  occasion.  During  this 
season  Dr.  Goodhue  was  asked  what  could  be  done  for  the  sick. 
To  this  grave  question  the  Doctor  made  this  characteristic 
reply :  "I  don't  know  unless  we  build  a  big  smoke-house  and 
cure  them,"  referring  to  the  almost  universal  pallor.  Dr.  Catlin 
was  an  indulgent  creditor,  and  fully  shared  the  burden  and 
poverty  of  early  days. 

As  a  practitioner,  Dr.  Catlin  was  distinguished  by  a  combi- 
nation of  conservatism  and  independence  of  thought  and 
method.  It  was  said  of  him  by  one  who  knew  him  well,  that 
"as  a  careful  examiner,  close  reasoner,  and  with  ability  to  define 
and  state  cause  and  effect,  Dr.  Catlin  had  few  superiors."  This 
fact,  with  his  large  experience  and  unobtrusive,  non-self-assertive 
spirit,  attracted  the  regard  of  his  brother  practitioners;  so  that 
he  was  often  consulted  by  them  in  difficult  cases.  Near  the  close 
of  his  life  he  was  honored  by  them  with  a  spontaneous  tender  of 
a  reception  and  banquet,  an  honor  which  he  highly  appreciated. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

DR.  JO8IAH  C.   GOODHUE. — DR.  ALDEN  THOMAS. 

THE  year  1838  was  signalized  by  the  advent  of  several  phy- 
sicians who  became  prominent  in  early  local  history. 
Among  this  number  was  Dr.  Josiah  C.  Goodhue,  who  settled  in 
the  autumn,  with  his  family.  He  had  been  here  the  preceding 
autumn  on  a  tour  of  inspection.  Dr.  Goodhue  had  attained 
some  distinction  before  he  became  a  citizen  of  this  county.  He 
was  born  in  1803,  at  Putney,  Vermont.  His  mother  is  said  to 
have  been  a  cousin  of  Aaron  Burr.  The  Doctor  was  graduated 
from  the  school  of  medicine  at  Yale,  and  began  practice  at  St. 
Thomas,  Upper  Canada,  in  1824.  While  there  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Catherine  Dunn .  A  brother,  Sir  George  Goodhue,  was  in 
theemploy of theCanadian government.  TheDoctor  emigrated 
from  Canada  to  Chicago  in  1835.  He  was  the  first  resident  phy- 
sician in  that  city  outside  the  garrison  of  Fort  Dearborn.  When 
Chicago  was  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1837,  Dr.  Goodhue  was 
elected  the  first  alderman  from  the  First  ward.  There  were  six 
wards  in  the  city  at  that  time.  William  B.  Ogden  was  chosen 
mayor  in  that  year.  Dr.  Goodhue  designed  the  first  city  seal  of 
Chicago,  and  it  became  known  as  his  little  baby.  He  was  quite 
proud  of  his  offspring.  The  Doctor  was  the  real  founder  of  the 
first  free  school  system  of  Chicago.  He  was  one  of  a  committee 
appointed  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  the  first  railroad  chartered 
to  run  from  the  city,  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union. 

In  his  practice  in  Chicago,  Dr.  Goodhue  was  associated  with 
Dr.  Daniel  Brainard.  Their  office  was  on  Lake  street,  near  the 
old  Tremont  House.  John  Wentworth  and  Ebenezer  Peck  were 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  in  the  same  building.  Dr.  Good- 
hue  was  one  of  the  men  who  drew  the  act  of  incorporation  for 
Rush  Medical  college,  and  was  a  member  of  the  first  board  of 
trustees. 

Dr.  Goodhue's  first  house  in  Rockford  was  what  was  then 
known  as  the  "ball  alley,"  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Madison 
and  Walnut  streets,  where  the  Golden  Censer  brick  building  was 
subsequently  erected.  He  afterward  purchased  a  home  on  the 


THEFT  OF  BIG  THUXDKRS  SKULL.  ill 

site  of  the  watch  factory ;  and  the  house  was  moved  away  when 
the  factory  was  built.  The  lot  had  at  one  time  a  pleasant 
grove,  with  no  fence.  Reference  was  made  in  a  preceding  chap- 
ter to  the  fact  that  Dr.  Goodhue  gave  to  the  city  of  Rockford 
its  name. 

Dr.  Goodhue  had  thirteen  children,  five  of  whom  died  under 
five  years  of  age.  Four  sons  and  four  daughters  attained  adult 
life.  One  son,  George  Washington  Goodhue,  died  of  yellow 
fever,  in  Mexico,  during  the  war  with  that  country.  Another 
son,  William  Sewell,  died  from  illness  contracted  during  the 
civil  war.  He  had  read  law  with  James  L.  Loop.  Dr.  Good- 
hue's  oldest  daughter,  Mrs.  C.  F.  Holland,  widow  of  John  A. 
Holland,  and  step-mother  of  H.  P.  Holland,  now  resides  in 
Chicago.  Mrs.  Hoyt  Barnum,  another  daughter,  is  a  resident 
of  Rockford. 

Dr.  Goodhue  is  said  to  have  taken  the  skull  from  the  body 
of  Big  Thunder,  the  Indian  chief,  whose  resting-place  was  on 
the  court  house  mound  in  Belvidere.  Big  Thunder  was  a  noted 
character  among  the  Pottawatomies.  His  name  may  have 
been  suggested,  according  to  Indian  fashion,  by  his  heavy,  roll- 
ing voice.  His  burial-place  was  selected  on  the  highest  point 
of  ground.  No  grave  was  dug.  The  chief  was  wrapped  in  his 
blankets,  and  seated  on  a  rude  bench,  with  his  feet  resting  on 
an  Indian  rug.  His  face  was  turned  toward  the  west,  where  he 
expected  a  great  battle  to  be  fought  between  his  tribe  and 
another.  A  palisade,  made  of  split  white  ash  logs,  from  which 
the  bark  had  been  peeled,  was  placed  around  his  body,  and 
covered  with  bark.  The  battle  which  Big  Thunder  looked  for, 
never  came;  and  his  war-spirit  never  re-animated  his  mouldering 
clay  and  joined  in  the  victorious  whoops  of  his  braves  over  their 
vanquished  foes.  The  Indians,  as  they  passed  the  coop  of  their 
fallen  chief,  would  throw  tobacco  into  his  lap ;  and  Simon  P. 
Doty,  an  early  settler,  during  a  torturing  tobacco  famine,  would 
systematically  purloin  the  weed  from  Big  Thunder.  In  those 
days  Belvidere  was  on  the  stage  route  from  Chicago  to  Galena; 
and  Big  Thunder  became  the  prey  of  relic  hunters.  His  skull 
found  its  way,  by  Dr.  Goodhue,  into  Rush  Medical  college,  and 
it  was  probably  destroyed  in  the  great  fire  of  1871. 

Dr.  Goodhue  was  an  interesting  and  eccentric  character. 
A  story  was  current  in  the  early  days  to  the  effect  that  a  certain 
doctor  had  heard  that  Dr.  Goodhue  had  said  that  he  had  killed 
Mr.  Smith's  child.  The  offended  practitioner  determined  to  call 


112          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

upon  Dr.  Goodhue  and  make  inquiry  concerning  the  rumor. 
Dr.  Goodhue  saw  him  coming,  surmised  at  once  his  errand,  and 
met  his  offended  friend  at  the  door  in  his  most  cordial  manner, 
"lam  very  glad  to  see  you,  sir;  come  in."  This  reception 
embarrassed  the  visitor,  but  he  unburdened  his  mind  in  this 
wise:  "Dr.  Goodhue,  I  hear  that  you  have  said  that  I  killed 
Smith's  child."  Dr.  Goodhue  interrupted  him  with  this  start- 
ling revelation :  "Haven't  you  killed  more  than  one?  Lord, 
I've  killed  more  than  forty.  If  you  haven't  killed  more  than 
one,  you  are  no  doctor  at  all ! "  The  Doctor  gave  the  name  of 
"Cedar  Bend"  to  the  seminary  ground,  that  slopes  toward  the 
river,  upon  which  there  were  many  cedars. 

Dr.  Goodhue's  death  was  the  result  of  an  accident,  on  the 
night  of  December  31, 1847.  He  was  called  to  make  a  profes- 
sional visit  to  the  family  of  Richard  Stiles,  four  miles  west  on 
the  State  road.  After  caring  for  his  patient,  he  accompanied 
Mrs.  Stoughton,  a  neighbor,  to  her  home.  The  night  was  dark, 
and  he  fell  into  a  well,  which  was  then  being  excavated,  and  had 
not  been  covered  or  enclosed .  Mrs.  Stoughton  had  asked  him  to 
wait  until  she  returned  with  a  light ;  but  before  she  came  back  the 
Doctor  had  made  the  fatal  fall.  He  survived  only  a  short  time 
after  he  was  taken  from  the  well.  His  death  was  deplored  by  the 
entire  community.  He  was  a  positive  character ;  nature  had 
liberally  endowed  him  in  qualities  of  mind  and  heart.  Dr. 
Goodhue  was  an  attendant  at  the  Unitarian  church.  Mrs. 
Goodhue  was  an  Episcopalian.  She  died  October  14, 1873.  A 
son  of  Dr.  Goodhue  died  November  14, 1880. 

Dr.  Alden  Thomas  was  born  at  Woodstock,  Vermont,  Nov- 
ember 11, 1797,  and  was  a  lineal  descendant  from  John  Alden.  He 
was  married  to  Elizabeth  Marsh,  June  15, 1824.  In  the  autumn 
of  1839,  the  family  came  to  Rockford.  They  had  lived  in  the 
meantime  at  Bethany  and  Holly,  New  York.  During  the  first 
few  weeks  in  Rockford  the  family  lived  in  the  Brinckerhoff 
house,  which  still  stands  on  the  corner  north  of  the  government 
building.  Later  Dr.  Thomas  resided  for  a  few  months  in  a 
house  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Emerson  warehouse,  just 
south  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad  bridge.  In  the 
following  spring  Dr.  Thomas  built  a  house  opposite  the  court 
house.  He  practiced  medicine  about  five  or  six  years,  and  then 
removed  to  a  farm  two  miles  south  on  the  Kishwaukee  road, 
where  he  lived  about  two  years.  The  family  then  returned 


AN  EARLY  DRUGGIST.  113 


to  the  village,  and  lived  for  a  time  in  a  house  still  standing  on 
South  Second  street,  and  later  in  the  grout  house  near  the 
corner  west  of  the  First  Congregational  church,  which  Dr. 
Thomas  built.  He  opened  a  drug  store  soon  after  his  return 
from  the  farm,  and  continued  in  this  business  until  a  short  time 
before  his  death.  Dr.  Thomas  was  a  member  of  the  First 
Congregational  church,  and  played  the  bass  viol  there  for  some 
time.  A  book  of  music,  with  words  and  notes  copied  by  him  in 
a  clear,  beautiful  hand,  is  now  in  possession  of  his  daughter, 
Mrs.  W.  A.  Dickerman.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  arc  held  in  loving 
remembrance  by  the  early  residents  of  the  city. 

Dr.  Thomas'  children  are:  Mrs.  W.  A.  Dickerman,  E.  P. 
Thomas,  and  the  late  Mrs.  S.  J.  Caswell,  of  this  city,  and  F.  A. 
Thomas  and  Mry.  Evans  Blake,  of  Chicago.  Henry,  the  young- 
est son,  enlisted  in  the  army  during  the  civil  war,  and  was 
drowned  while  returning  on  a  furlough.  Dr.  Thomas'  death 
occurred  March  21,  1856. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

DR.  GEORGE  HASKELL. — THE  GIPSY  I    THE  FIRST  STEAMER. 

ON  the  morning  of  April  16,  1838,  Dr.  Haskell  and  family, 
Mo  wry  Brown  and  wife,  Samuel  Haskell,  H.  H.  Silsby, 
Isaiah  Lyon,  Caleb  Blood  and  William  Hull  boarded  the  steam- 
boat Gipsy  at  Alton,  Illinois.  The  destination  of  this  party 
was  Rockford.  The  river  was  high,  the  bottom  lands  were 
overflowed,  and  the  boat  sometimes  left  the  channel  of  the 
Mississippi  and  ran  across  points  of  land,  and  once  went  through 
a  grove  of  timber.  When  the  Gipsy  arrived  at  Rock  Island  and 
ran  alongside  the  wharf-boat,  a  strong  wind  from  the  east 
turned  the  bow  out  into  the  stream.  As  the  boat  turned,  the 
rudder  struck  the  wharf-boat,  and  broke  the  tiller  ropes.  This 
accident  rendered  the  boat  unmanageable,  and  it  was  blown 
across  the  river  to  Davenport,  Iowa.  While  at  Rock  Island 
Dr.  Haskell  contracted  with  the  captain  that  upon  his  return 
from  Galena  he  would  steam  up  Rock  river  to  Rockford.  At 
Savanna,  Samuel  Haskell,  William  Hull  and  H.  H.  Silsby  left 
the  Gipsy.  They  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  boat 
would  never  reach  Rockford;  and  in  company  with  Moses 
Wallen,  of  Winnebago  village,  where  the  county  seat  had  been 
located  by  the  special  commissioners,  they  started  afoot  for 
Rockford.  They  stopped  over  night  at  Cherry  Grove,  and  the 
next  morning  they  traveled  to  Crane's  Grove,  on  the  stage 
route  from  Dixon  to  Galena.  There  they  hired  a  coach  and 
team,  which  brought  them  that  evening  to  Loomis'  Hotel. 

Mr.  Silsby  writes  that  a  few  days  after  his  arrival  he  arose 
one  morning  as  soon  as  it  was  light,  to  see  if  he  could  discover 
any  sign  of  the  Gipsy.  He  was  rewarded  by  the  sight  of  dense, 
black  smoke,  near  Corey's  bluff,  which  seemed  to  be  moving  up 
the  river.  Soon  the  Gipsy  came  in  sight,  and  the  people  gath- 
ered on  the  banks  of  the  river  and  cheered  the  boat  as  it  ascended 
in  fine  style  until  nearly  over  the  rapids,  when  it  suddenly 
turned,  swung  around,  and  went  down  stream  much  faster  than 
it  ascended.  It  rounded  to  and  tried  it  again,  and  soon  turned 
down  stream  a  second  time.  After  several  attempts,  with  the 
aid  of  a  quantity  of  lard  thrown  into  the  furnaces,  the  boat  ran 


IMMORTALIZED  BY  WHITHER.  115 

up  the  swift  current,  and  soon  tied  up  to  the  bank  in  front  of  Platt 
&  Sanford's  store,  which^stood  near  the  water's  edge,  in  the  rear 
of  the  Masonic  Temple  site.  The  Gipsy  was  the  first  steamer 
that  visited  Rockford.  It  was  a  stern-wheeler,  not  less  than 
one  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  perhaps  thirty  in  width.  It  had 
a  cabin  above  the  hold,  and  an  upper  deck,  open  and  uncov- 
ered. There  were  several  state-rooms.  G.  A.  Sanfordand  John 
Platt  had  come  to  Rockford  the  preceding  year,  and  had  formed 
a  partnership  in  conducting  the  first  store  on  the  West  side.  Mr. 
Sanford  sold  his  interest  to  Dr.  Haskell.  The  following  year 
Mr.  Platt  retired  and  Dr.  Haskell  became  sole  owner.  When 
the  Gipsy  arrived  the  Doctor's  eleven  tons  of  merchandise  were 
removed  from  the  boat  to  the  store.  A  merchant  at  Beloithad 
shipped  ten  tons  from  Rock  Island  to  Beloit,  which  were  to  be 
delivered  at  that  point.  The  people  came  in  from  the  country, 
and  chartered  the  boat  for  an  excursion  up  the  river,  and  car- 
ried passengers.  The  captain  said  he  never  witnessed  such  a 
scene  before.  They  danced  all  night,  and  kept  the  cabin  in  an 
uproar  day  and  night  until  they  reached  Rockton.  The  music 
was  furnished  by  Andrew  Lovejoy,  who  played  the  flute,  and 
another  man  with  his  fiddle. 

Dr.  Haskell  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts.  He  was  born 
at  Harvard,  March  23,  1799.  His  father,  Samuel  Haskell, 
removed  to  Waterford,  Maine,  in  1803.  In  1821  the  son  went 
to  Phillips  Exeter  academy,  and  entered  Dartmouth  college  in 
1823.  He  left  his  college  class  in  his  sophomore  year,  and 
studied  medicine  until  1827,  when  he  received  the  degree  of  M. 
D.  from  the  college.  While  in  college,  he  taught  one  term  of 
district  school  in  East  Haverhill.  One  of  his  pupils  was  John  G. 
Whittier;  and  the  schoolmaster  in  Whittier's  "Snow-Bound" 
was  his  former  teacher.  On  page  thirty-four  of  Samuel  T.  Pick- 
ard's  Life  and  Letters  of  Whittier,  is  found  this  allusion  to  the 
hero  of  this  poem :  "Until  near  the  end  of  Mr.  Whittier's  life,  he 
could  not  recall  the  name  of  this  teacher  whose  portrait  is  so 
carefully  sketched,  but  he  was  sure  he  came  from  Maine.  At 
length,  he  remembered  that  the  name  was  Haskell,  and  from 
this  clue  it  has  been  ascertained  that  he  was  George  Haskell, 
and  that  he  came  from  Waterford,  Maine."  Dr.  Haskell  never 
appeared  to  have  been  aware  of  the  fact  that  his  gifted  Haverhill 
pupil  had  immortalized  him  in  "Snow-Bound."  Dr.  Haskell 
also  received  this  tribute  as  a  teacher  from  his  illustrious  pupil, 
as  given  in  a  later  chapter  of  Mr.  Pickard's  biography :  "He 


116         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

[Whittier]  was  accustomed  to  say  that  only  two  of  the  teach- 
ers who  were  employed  in  that  district  during  his  school  days 
were  fit  for  the  not  very  exacting  position  they  occupied.  Both 
of  these  were  Dartmouth  students:  one  of  them  George  Has- 
kell,  to  whom  reference  has  already  been  made."  Dr.  Haskell 
began  the  practice  of  medicine  at  East  Cambridge,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1827,  and  removed  to  Ashby,  in  the  same  state,  in  the 
following  year. 

Dr.  Haskell  came  to  Illinois  in  1831,  and  settled  at  Edwards- 
ville,  and  two  years  later  he  removed  to  Upper  Alton.  While 
there  he  became  one  of  the  founders  of  Shurtleff  college,  of  which 
he  was  trustee  and  treasurer.  The  Doctor  built  up  a  large 
practice,  which  he  soon  abandoned.  November  7,  1837,  the 
cause  of  the  slave  received  its  first  baptism  of  blood.  On  that 
day  Rev.  Elijah  P.  Lovejoy  was  murdered  at  Alton,  for  his  bold 
utterances  in  behalf  of  an  oppressed  race.  Dr.  Haskell  enter- 
tained radical  anti-slavery  views,  and  he  determined  to  leave 
that  portion  of  the  state  in  which  the  pro-slavery  sentiment 
was  largely  predominant. 

From  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  Rockford  until  his  removal 
from  the  city  about  twenty-eight  years  later,  Dr.  Haskell  was  a 
broad-minded,  representative  man  of  affairs.  He  conducted  for 
a  short  time  a  mercantile  business  on  the  river  bank,  as  the 
successor  of  Platt  &  Sanford.  But  his  ruling  passion  was  hor- 
ticulture. He  entered  from  the  government  quite  a  tract  of 
land  lying  north  of  North  street,  and  built  the  house  on  North 
Main  street  now  occupied  by  George  R.  Forbes.  He  planted  a 
nursery  and  became  an  expert  in  raising  fruit.  It  is  said  that 
one  year  he  raised  sixty  bushels  of  peaches.  The  severe  winter 
of  1855-56  killed  his  trees,  and  from  that  time  he  devoted  his 
attention  to  more  hardy  fruits.  His  later  Rockford  home  was 
on  North  Court  street,  near  the  residence  of  Hon.  Andrew 
Ashton.  Dr.  Haskell  was  generous  and  public-spirited.  He 
and  his  brother-in-law,  John  Edwards,  presented  to  the  city 
the  West  side  public  square,  which  was  named  Haskell  park,  in 
honor  of  the  former.  A  street,  called  Edwards  place,  forms  the 
southern  boundary  of  the  park.  A  ward  schoolhouse  in  West 
Rockford  also  bears  Dr.  HaskelPs  name. 

In  1853  Dr.  Haskell  became  a  convert  to  Spiritualism,  and 
his  long  and  honored  membership  with  the  First  Baptist  church 
ceased  on  the  last  day  of  that  year.  It  has  been  stated  that  he 
was  first  alienated  from  the  church  by  his  lack  of  esteem  for 


BECOMES  A  SPIRITUALIST.  117 

Elder  Jacob  Knapp,  who  was  then  a  prominent  member.  Mrs. 
Haskell  followed  her  husband,  and  withdrew  from  the  church 
May  6,  1854.  Dr.  Haskell  entered  upon  his  new  religious  life 
with  that  energy  and  enthusiasm  which  had  signalized  his  for- 
mer adherence  to  Baptist  doctrine.  April  15,  1854,  he  began 
the  publication  of  the  Spirit  Advocate,  an  eight-page  monthly. 
The  paper  was  an  able  propagandist  of  the  new  faith.  A  com- 
plete file  of  this  paper  has  been  preserved  in  theRockford  public 
library.  Twenty-three  numbers  were  published.  In  the  issue 
of  March  15, 1856,  the  editor  announced  that  the  publication 
of  the  Advocate  would  be  discontinued,  and  that  it  would  be 
consolidated  with  the  Orient,  under  the  name  of  the  Orient  and 
Advocate,  with  headquarters  at  Waukegan.  In  his  farewell 
address  to  his  constituents,  Dr.  Haskell  said  :  "While  hitherto 
laboring  in  the  cause  of  human  advancement  from  the  thrall- 
dom  of  bigotry,  error  and  superstition,  we  have  had  the  con- 
sciousness of  having  acted  honestly  in  proclaiming  'the  glorious 
gospel  of  the  blessed  God.'  We  feel  that  the  cause  is  of  God 
and  must  prevail;  and  the  combined  force  of  men  and  devils  can 
not  prevent  its  final  triumph.  .  .  .  The  great  contest  bet  ween 
truth  and  error  has  commenced;  and  the  advocates  of  error 
and  superstition  are  arraying  all  their  forces  to  withstand  the 
onward  march  of  truth  and  harmony ;  but  truth  must  triumph 
over  all  opposing  foes." 

The  best  and  most  charitable  commentary  upon  this  proph- 
ecy is  in  the  lines  of  Tennyson : 

"Our  little  systems  have  their  day ; 
They  have  their  day,  and  cease  to  be." 

In  1866,  Dr.  Haskell  removed  to  New  Jersey.  There  he  was 
engaged  in  founding  an  industrial  school,  and  purchased  with 
others  a  tract  of  four  thousand  acres,  which  was  laid  out  for  a 
model  community.  In  1857  Dartmouth  college  gave  the  Doctor 
the  degree  of  A.  B.,  as  of  the  year  1827. 

Dr.  Haskell  died  at  Vineland,  New  Jersey,  August  23, 1876. 
The  late  George  S.  Haskell,  widely  known  as  a  seedsman,  was 
a  son ;  and  Mrs.  Henry  P.  Kimball  is  a  daughter.  Dr.  Frank 
H.,  Willis  M.  and  Carl  Kimball  are  grandsons.  His  nephew, 
Rev.  Samel  Haskell,  pays  him  this  tribute  in  Pickard's  work, 
previously  noted :  "He  was  a  man  of  scholarship  and  enthusi- 
asm, afriend  of  struggling  students,  many  of  whom  he  befriended 
in  his  home  and  with  his  means." 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

JAMES  M.  WIGHT. — JASON  MARSH. — OTHER  PIONEERS  OF  1838-39. 

JAMES  MADISON  WIGHT  was  born  in  Norwich,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1810.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Queens 
county,  New  York,  in  1837,  and  immediately  afterward  came 
west.  He  first  joined  his  brother,  J.  Ambrose  Wight,  in  Rock- 
ton.  But  he  found  no  field  in  that  village  for  the  practice  of 
his  profession;  and  he  came  in  1838,  to  Rockford,  where  for  a 
time  he  taught  school.  In  his  early  life  he  served  a  few  terms 
as  city  attorney  of  Rockford.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneer  law- 
yers of  northern  Illinois,  and  built  up  a  large  practice.  He  was 
for  many  years  local  attorney  for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
railroad  and  for  other  corporations.  He  was  also  for  a  time  a 
member  of  the  state  legislature,  and  served  on  the  judiciary 
committee.  Mr.  Wight  was  a  member  of  the  constitutional 
convention  of  1870,  called  to  draft  a  new  constitution  for  sub- 
mission to  the  voters  of  the  state.  To  Mr.  Wight,  law  was  not 
merely  a  profession ;  it  was  an  absorbing  and  delightful  study. 
He  was  above  all,  a  student;  a  perfect  cyclopedia  of  general 
information,  familiar  with  the  literature  of  many  languages, 
which  he  read  in  the  original,  and  a  passionate  lover  of  classi- 
cal music  and  art.  Mr.  Wight  was  a  cousin  of  George  Bancroft, 
the  famous  historian.  To  many  lawyers  of  today,  Mr.  Wight's 
sense  of  professional  honor  might  seem  a  little  strained;  but 
for  him  there  was  only  one  standard,  the  standard  of  a  Chris- 
tian gentleman,  and  to  that  conception  his  business  principles 
were  subordinated.  Mr.  Wight  died  in  Rockford  in  1877,  leav- 
ing to  his  children  the  heritage  of  an  honest  name,  and  the 
memory  of  a  modest,  blameless  and  tender  life.  Mr.  Wight  was 
the  father  of  Mrs.  Harriott  Wight  Sherratt,  Miss  Mary  Wight, 
and  Miss  Carrie,  who  died  in  1891.  In  his  religious  views,  Mr. 
Wight  was  a  Channing  Unitarian.  The  Wight  school  in  the 
Sixth  ward  was  named  in  his  honor.  His  home  was  the  resi- 
dence now  owned  by  Judge  L.  L.  Morrison. 

Jason  Marsh  was  born  in  Woodstock,  Windsor  county,  Ver- 
mont, in  1807.    At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  removed  to  Saratoga, 


COLONEL  OF  SEVENTY-FOURTH.  119 

New  York.  In  1831  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Adams,  Jef- 
ferson county,  where  he  first  practiced.  In  1832  Mr.  Marsh 
married  Harriet  M.  Spafford,  a  sister  of  Charles,  John  andCatlin 
Spafford.  Mr.  Marsh  came  to  Rockford  in  1839.  He  was 
accompanied  by  his  wife  and  children,  a  brother  and  wife,  and 
his  three  brothers-in-law.  Soon  after  his  arrival  he  and  the 
three  Spafford  brothers  built  the  brick  house  three  miles  south 
of  State  street,  on  the  Kishwaukee  road,  now  occupied  by  F. 
J.  Morey.  A  large  farm  was  attached.  Mr.  Marsh  drove  daily 
to  the  village,  where  he  practiced  his  profession.  His  later 
home  was  the  residence  subsequently  owned  by  the  late  W.  W. 
Fairfield,  on  East  State  street.  These  beautiful  grounds  are 
now  subdivided.  In  1862  Mr.  Marsh  entered  military  service 
as  colonel  of  the  Seventy-fourth  Illinois  infantry.  He  was 
severely  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Missionary  Ridge  in  the  autumn 
of  1863,  and  returned  home.  Two  months  later  he  again  went 
to  the  front.  In  the  campaign  from  Chattanooga  to  Atlanta 
his  old  wound  troubled  him,  and  he  resigned.  Colonel  Marsh 
was  a  man  of  fine  presence,  rather  above  medium  height,  portly, 
and  perhaps  slightly  pompous,  with  blue  eyes.  The  corner  of 
the  left  eye  was  slightly  marred  by  a  wound  received  in  his 
younger  days.  He  was  accustomed  to  comb  the  hair  low  over 
the  eye,  and  thus  unconsciously  gave  to  the  eye  a  little  wicked 
expression.  Colonel  Marsh  was  very  courteous,  and  extremely 
fond  of  society.  He  delighted  in  picturesque  costumes.  His 
favorite  suit  was  a  blue  dress  coat  with  gilt  buttons,  buff  vest 
and  light  pantaloons.  Colonel  Marsh  was  a  lover  of  games ; 
chess  was  his  favorite.  He  forgot  everything  when  engaged  in 
a  game  of  chess,  and  spent  long  afternoons  and  evenings  at 
this  pastime,  oblivious  of  everything  else ;  much,  of  course,  to 
the  detriment  of  his  business.  Colonel  Marsh,  or  'Squire  Marsh, 
as  he  was  often  called,  was  a  gentleman  of  striking  character- 
istics. He  preserved  the  courtliness  of  the  old-school  gentleman. 
His  social  nature  was  of  a  generous  kind.  He  was  at  home 
either  in  long-continued  argument,  or  he  could  adapt  himself 
to  the  lighter  conversation  of  gallant  and  graceful  nothings  of 
fashionable  society.  His  habitual  attire  combined  the  present 
and  the  past  with  striking  effect.  His  blue  swallow-tail  coat, 
buff  vest  and  gold-headed  cane  jare  intimately  associated 
with  his  sturdy  personality  in  the  minds  of  all  who  remember 
him.  Colonel  Marsh  was  a  man  of  well-stored  mind,  and  made 
his  mark  as  a  lawyer  at  an  early  day.  His  last  years  were 


120         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WIN  NEB  AGO  COUNTY. 

spent  on  his  farm  near  Durand.  His  death  occurred  at  the  home 
of  his  daughter  in  Chicago,  March  13, 1881.  He  was  buried  in 
Rockford  with  military  honors.  His  surviving  children  are: 
Mrs.  E.  H.  Baker,  formerly  of  Rockford ;  Mrs.  William  Ruger, 
of  Batona,  Florida;  and  Cerdric  G.,  of  Chicago.  Ogden  C.  died 
soon  after  his  father.  J.  M.  and  Volney  Southgate are  nephews. 

Francis  Burnap  was  born  at  Merrimac,  New  Hampshire, 
January  4, 1796.  He  belonged  to  one  of  the  old  historic  fami- 
lies of  New  England.  His  mother  was  a  sister  of  Major-Geueral 
Brooks,  of  Revolutionary  fame,  who  was  afterward  governor 
of  Massachusetts  for  seven  terms.  His  father  was  Rev.  Jacob 
Burnap,  who  for  fifty  years  was  pastor  of  the  First  Congrega- 
tional church  of  Merrimao.  Mr.  Burnap  settled  in  Rockford  in 
August,  1839,  and  began  tne  practice  of  law  in  Winuebago  and 
neighboring  counties,  in  the  state  supreme  court,  and  in  the 
federal  courts.  His  industry  and  patient  persistence  in  his  pro- 
fession were  proverbial.  He  loved  chancery  practice,  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  this  department  he  had  few  equals  in  the  state. 
Mr.  Burnap  was  a  man  of  integrity,  and  boldly  avowed  his 
opinions,  however  unpopular.  He  belonged  to  the  Liberty 
party  in  its  early  days,  and  proclaimed  his  radical  anti-slavery 
sentiments  when  abolitionism  was  a  term  of  reproach  even  in  the 
free  north  and  west.  He  was  also  a  believer  in  total  abstinence 
and  woman  suffrage.  Mr.  Burnap  was  a  thorough  student. 
His  books  were  his  beloved  companions.  He  was  a  fine  linguist 
and  was  proficient  in  Latin,  Greek,  Hebrew,  French  and  Ger- 
man. As  a  friend,  he  was  kind,  courteous,  and  dignified  in  all 
his  social  intercourse.  While  he  was  affable  in  manner,  he  was 
firm  in  his  principles,  even  to  sternness.  The  tenacity  with 
which  he  clung  to  his  opinions,  and  earnestly  defended  them, 
sometimes  excited  enmity.  He  practiced  in  his  profession  until 
1864,  when  ill  health  compelled  him  to  retire.  Mr.  Burnap  died 
in  Rockford  December  2,  1866.  He  was  the  senior  practitioner 
of  the  Rockford  bar,  which  adopted  resolutions  of  respect  at 
his  death,  and  attended  his  funeral  in  a  body.  In  the  forenoon 
preceding  his  death  he  dictated  his  will,  in  the  full  possession  of 
his  mental  faculties.  Mr.  Burnap  never  married,  and  he  lived 
a  somewhat  isolated  life.  Mrs.  Lucy  M.  Gauss,  of  St.  Louis, 
formerly  a  teacher  in  the  Rockford  schools,  is  a  niece. 

Duncan  Ferguson  was  a  native  of  Scotland.  He  was  born 
in  Glasgow,  in  November,  1810.  He  attended  the  University 
of  Glasgow  two  seasons;  was  employed  several  years  in  the 


DUNCAN  FERGUSON. -THOMAS  D.  ROBERTSON.  121 

land  surveys,  and  soon  thereafter  he  was  engaged  in  the  trigo- 
nometrical surveys  of  Great  Britain,  which  he  continued  for  ten 
years.  He  was  employed  most  of  this  time  in  Ireland.  In  1837 
he  left  his  native  laud  and  came  to  the  United  States.  He  first 
settled  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  remained  two  years,  in  the 
employ  of  two  railroad  companies,  as  draughtsman.  Mr.  Fer- 
guson removed  with  his  family  to  Rock  ford  in  1839.  In  1840 
he  was  elected  surveyor  and  justice  of  the  peace.  He  held  the 
office  of  surveyor  until  1856.  In  1862  he  was  appointed  asses- 
sor of  internal  revenue.  He  held  this  position  eight  years,  and 
then  resigned.  For  ten  years  Mr.  Ferguson  was  supervisor 
from  the  Seventh  ward  of  the  city.  March,  3,  1873,  he  was 
elected  chairman  of  the  county  board,  to  succeed  Hon.  Robert 
J.  Cross,  who  had  died  February  15th.  Mr.  Ferguson  retained 
this  position  until  1881.  In  1877  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Rock- 
ford,  and  served  one  year.  He  held  the  offices  of  city  engineer, 
assessor,  county  treasurer,  and  commissioner  of  the  county 
under  an  act  of  the  legislature  for  the  improvement  of  Rock 
river.  Mr.  Ferguson  was  a  member  of  the  First  Baptist  church 
until  the  schism  led  by  Dr.  Kerr,  when  he  became  identified 
with  the  Church  of  the  Christian  Union.  Mr.  Ferguson  was  a 
genial,  courtly  gentleman,  of  high  character.  His  death  occurred 
May  14,  1882. 

Thomas  D.  Robertson  was  born  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland, 
March  4, 1818.  His  parents  removed  to  London  when  he  was 
a  small  child.  He  lived  with  a  brother  for  a  time  on  the  Isle  of 
Sheppey,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Thames,  where  he  attended 
school.  He  was  subsequently  engaged  with  an  older  brother 
in  the  publication  of  the  Mechanic's  Magazine.  Mr.  Robertson 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1838.  He  stopped  for  a  time  in 
Chicago,  and  arrived  in  Rockford  in  December  of  the  same  year. 
Mr.  Roberson  studied  law  in  Rockford  and  at  Madison,  Wis- 
consin. He  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  was  a  prominent 
practitioner  for  some  years.  In  1848  Mr.  Robertson  and  John 
A.  Holland  opened  the  first  banking  house  in  Rockford  in  a 
building  adjoining  the  European  Hotel  site  on  West  State  street. 
From  that  time  he  gradually  abandoned  the  practice  of  law, 
and  devoted  his  attention  to  banking  and  real  estate.  Mr. 
Robertson  was  a  leader  in  the  movement  to  secure  the  exten- 
sion of  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  railroad  to  Rockford.  He 
had  charge  of  the  collection  of  the  subscriptions  to  the  capital 
stock  in  Boone,  Winnebago  and  Ogle  counties,  Mr.  Robertson 


122         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

has  continuously  resided  in  Rockford  for  sixty -one  years.  No 
other  person  has  been  as  prominent  in  its  business  circles 
for  so  long  a  time.  The  church  and  Christian  education  have 
always  received  his  financial  support.  He  is  a  trustee  of  Beloit 
college  and  Rockford  college.  Mr.  Robertson's  career  has  been 
signalized  by  strict  integrity  and  exceptional  business  ability. 
He  is  probably  the  largest  property-owner  in  the  city.  His  chil- 
dren are  William  T.Robertson,  vice-president  of  the  Winnebago 
National  Bank,  and  Mrs.  David  N.  Starr,  of  Florida. 

Ira  W.  Baker  arrived  on  Rock  river  October  6,  1838,  on 
Saturday,  at  sundown,  with  his  family  of  eight,  from  a  grand- 
mother of  seventy  to  a  babe  of  four.  At  half  past  ten  the  next 
morning  all  went  over  the  hill  a  mile  away  to  attend  church,  at 
the  house  of  Mr.  Batchelder.  It  was  a  double  log  house  of  two 
rooms.  The  door  between  the  rooms  was  the  pulpit.  The  Rev. 
Hiram  Foote  preached.  No  scene  could  better  depict  the  early 
sabbath  in  church.  Organ  and  choir,  long-drawn  aisle  and 
fretted  vault  waft  no  truer  praise.  The  soft  sky  and  the  air  of 
the  Indian  summer,  silent  woods  of  gorgeous  hues,  the  reverent 
worshipers,  strangers  in  form  but  kindred  in  heart,  the  solemn 
and  touching  service,  and  the  polite  and  tender  greetings  and 
farewells  were  home  and  church  to  the  true  and  earnest  pio- 
neers. Even  the  little  Swiss  clock,  hanging  high  in  the  corner, 
with  its  long  weights  and  pendulum,  seemed  thoughtfully  and 
regretfully  to  mark  the  passing  moments,  and  when  it  must 
strike  twelve  it  gave  due  notice,  and  softly  struck  its  strokes. 
Perhaps  like  Tell  of  its  native  land,  it  had  prepared  for  extra 
work  due  on  such  occasions,  for  it  kept  right  on  with  thirteen 
or  fourteen,  and  so  forth,  until  elders  and  urchins  alike  smiled 
upon  its  little  distorted  anatomy.  The  clock,  house  and  owner 
are  now  gone,  and  perhaps  all  who  gathered  there ;  but  the 
church  and  home  of  the  pioneer  are  the  church  and  home  of  today . 

Hon.  Edward  H.  Baker,  son  of  Deacon  Ira  Baker,  was  born 
in  Ferrisburg,  Vermont,  April  5, 1828;  and  when  ten  years  of 
age  he  came  with  his  father  to  Winnebago  county.  Mr.  Baker 
received  his  education  at  Knox  college  and  Illinois  college  at 
Jacksonville.  He  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar. 
At  one  time  he  was  in  partnership  with  his  father-in-law,  Jason 
Marsh.  Upon  the  organization  of  the  Rockford  &  Kenosha 
railroad,  Mr.  Baker  was  chosen  secretary  of  the  company.  He 
was  elected  mayor  of  Rockford  in  1866,  and  served  one  year. 
At  the  time  of  his  death  Mr.  Baker  was  a  director  of  the  public 


DAVID  S.  PENFIELD.  123 


library.  His  death  occurred  January  26,  1897.  The  circuit 
court,  which  was  then  in  session,  adjourned,  out  of  respect  to 
his  memory ;  Hon.  Charles  A.  Works  pronounced  a  euolgy,  and 
the  bar  attended  his  funeral  in  a  body.  Mr.  Baker  excelled  as 
a  toastmaster.  He  was  a  thorough  student,  and  acquired  a 
large  and  varied  fund  of  information.  He  was  an  authority 
upon  Masonic  matters,  and  in  colonial  and  local  history.  He 
had  true  historic  instinct,  and  his  writings  often  display  fine 
poetic  feeling. 

Henry  N.  Baker,  another  son  of  Deacon  Baker,  was  also  a 
native  of  Ferrisburg,  Vermont.  For  many  years  he  was  engaged 
in  the  real  estate  and  loan  business  in  East  Rockford.  Mr. 
Baker  was  for  some  time  president  of  the  board  of  education. 
He  removed  from  the  city  in  1899. 

David  S.  Penfield  was  the  first  of  three  brothers  to  settle  in 
Rockford.  He  was  a  native  of  Pittsfield,  Vermont,  and  was 
born  in  1812.  Mr.  Penfield  and  the  late  Shepherd  Leach  were 
schoolboys  together  in  their  native  place,  and  the  friendship 
then  formed  continued  through  life.  Together  they  emigrated 
to  Michigan,  where  they  remained  a  short  time,  and  then  con- 
tinued their  journey  on  horseback  to  Illinois,  and  came  to 
Rockford  in  1838  by  way  of  Dixon.  There  was  then  no  stable 
currency.  Large  numbers  of  private  banks  furnished  a  currency 
of  more  or  less  value,  and  each  state  had  its  own  issues.  The 
exchange  of  money  in  traveling  from  state  to  state  was  there- 
fore attended  with  not  a  little  difficulty,  and  considerable  risk. 
The  unsettled  country  was  infested  with  bandits,  and  travelers 
were  never  sure,  when  seeking  entertainment  for  the  night, 
whether  they  would  escape  the  snare  of  the  fowler.  Mr.  Penfield 
and  Mr,  Leach  adopted  a  rule  that  is  very  suggestive.  When- 
ever they  came  to  the  house  of  a  settler  where  flowers  were 
cultivated,  there  they  concluded  they  would  be  safe.  Upon  their 
arrival  in  Rockford,  Mr.  Penfield  and  Mr.  Leach  purchased  a 
large  tract  of  land  on  the  West  side.  They  were  also  in  mer- 
cantile business  on  the  site  of  322  East  State  street,  and  there 
employed  the  first  tinner  in  Rockford.  Their  stock  included 
hardware,  groceries  and  other  lines,  and  invoiced  about  three 
thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Penfield  lived  for  a  time  in  a  house 
owned  by  Lyman  Potter,  on  North  Second  street.  He  formed 
a  partnership  with  his  brother  John  G.  in  the  real  estate  and 
loan  business;  and  subsequently  became  a  member  of  the  bank- 
ing firm  of  Briggs,  Spafford  &  Penfield,  which  was  merged  into 


124          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

the  Third  National  bank.  Mr.  Penfieldwas  a  very  unassuming 
gentleman,  and  was  universally  esteemed.  He  died  May  20, 
1873,  at  the  age  of  sixty-one  years.  Some  years  ago  Mrs.  Pen- 
field  gave  the  site  to  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  on 
which  its  splendid  building  now  stands.  Their  children  are: 
Mrs.  Henry  Robinson,  deceased ;  Mrs.  C.  R.  Mower,  of  Rockford  ; 
and  Mrs.  Stephen  A.  Norton,  of  San  Diego,  California. 

Shepherd  Leach,  to  whom  reference  was  made  in  the  preced- 
ing paragraph,  was  an  extensive  land-owner,  and  amassed  a 
large  estate.  Mr.  Leach  was  gifted  with  keen  business  sagacity, 
and  was  successful  in  nearly  every  enterprise.  He  had  an 
extended  acquaintance  among  business  men ;  was  straightfor- 
ward in  his  dealings;  and  withal,  was  a  man  who  possessed 
many  qualities  worthy  of  emulation.  Mr.  Leach  died  July  9, 
1885.  Mrs.  Edgar  E.  Bartlett  and  Mrs.  J.  B.  Whitehead  are 
daughters. 

Willard  Wheeler  came  from  St.  Thomas,  Upper  Canada,  in 
September,  1839.  He  was  the  second  tinner  in  the  town.  Mr. 
Wheeler  was  a  brother  of  Solomon  Wheeler.  He  built  the  house 
on  South  First  street  where  Mrs.  Julia  A.  Littlefield  resides.  To 
Mr.  Wheeler  belonged  the  honor  of  being  the  first  mayor  of 
Rockford.  He  died  April  24,  1876. 

The  Cunningham  brothers  are  among  the  last  survivors  of 
that  early  period.  Samuel  Cunningham  was  born  August  15, 
1815,inFeterboro,  Hillsboro  county,  New  Hampshire.  This  was 
Daniel  Webster's  county,  and  where  he  and  his  brother  Ezekiel 
practiced  law.  Mr.  Cunningham  heard  Mr.  Webster  deliver  an 
oration,  and  voted  for  him  for  president  in  1836.  Mr.  Cun- 
ningham came  to  this  county  in  the  spring  of  1839.  His  active 
life  was  devoted  to  agriculture.  He  served  one  term  as  county 
commissioner.  Mr.  Cunningham  is  a  splendid  specimen  of  the 
sturdy  New  England  type,  and  the  very  soul  of  honor.  He  has 
a  retentive  memory  and  an  interesting  fund  of  political  remi- 
niscence. His  brother,  William  Cunningham,  came  to  Rockford 
in  the  spring  of  1838.  He  has  spent  much  of  the  intervening 
time  on  the  Pacific  coast,  but  is  now  living  a  retired  life  in 
Rockford.  The  writer  is  indebted  to  these  brothers  for  valuable 
historical  information.  Another  brother,  Benjamin  Franklin 
Cunningham,  preceded  Samuel  to  Rockford  in  the  spring  of 
the  same  year.  He  owns  a  beautiful  home  below  the  city,  on 
a  rise  of  ground  which  commands  an  extended  northern  and 
southern  view  of  the  river.  A  fourth  brother,  Isaac  Newton 


JOEL  B.  POTTER.— THE  HERRICK  FAMILY.  125 

Cunningham,  previously  noted,  came  to  Rockford  at  an  earlier 
date. 

Joel  B.  Potter  was  born  in  Fairfield  county,  Connecticut, 
in  1810.  From  there  the  family  removed  to  Orleans  county, 
New  York.  He  received  a  collegiate  education  and  prepared 
himself  for  the  Presbyterian  ministry.  His  health  failed,  and 
he  never  resumed  this  calling.  In  1839  he  came  to  this  county, 
where  his  brothers  Herman  B.  and  Eleazer  had  preceded  him. 
In  the  same  year  Mr.  Potter  built  the  house  now  owned  by 
Judge  Morrison.  He  carried  on  a  farm  for  some  years,  and  was 
subsequently  engaged  in  the  drug  business  on  East  State  street. 
He  conducted  the  store  alone  for  a  time,  and  later  with  his 
son-in-law,  J.  F.  Harding,  as  a  partner,  until  the  death  of  Mr. 
Harding,  in  1867,  when  Mr.  Potter  retired  from  business.  Mr. 
Potter  and  his  family  were  members  of  Westminster  Presbyte- 
rian church.  Mr.  Potter  died  November  30,1880.  Mrs.  Potter  is 
still  living.  Advanced  age  does  not  impair  her  intellectual  vigor. 
Mrs.  Caroline  A.  Brazee  and  Mrs.  E.  S.  Gregory,  of  Rockford, 
and  Mies  Frances  D.  Potter,  of  Chicago,  are  daughters. 

The  Herrick  family  came  from  eastern  Massachusetts  in 
1838—39.  Elijah  L.  Herrick,  Sr.,  and  three  sons,  Ephraim, 
Elijah  L.  Jr.,  and  William,  arrived  in  Rockford  in  1838 ;  and 
the  following  year  there  came  three  sons,  George,  Edward,  and 
Samuel,  and  four  daughters,  Phocebe,  Sarah,  Martha,  and 
Hannah.  About  1849  the  father  of  the  family  built  a  cobble- 
stone house,  which  is  still  standing  on  Fourteenth  avenue.  The 
Herrick  family,  though  typical  New  England  people,  possess  one 
interesting  trait  peculiar  to  the  Scottish  clans.  It  is  said  this 
entire  family,  with  one  exception,  lived  in  the  vicinity  of  Rock- 
ford  for  forty  years,  within  such  distance  that  all  could  come 
together  in  a  few  hours'  notice.  This  remarkable  fact  is  seldom 
paralleled  when  the  size  of  the  family  is  considered.  The  father 
died  May  18,  1852;  Mrs.  Herrick,  March  28,  1876;  Phoebe, 
July  13,  1854 ;  Sarah,  January  21,  1885  ;  William,  February 
13,  1885;  Ephraim,  January  7,  1888;  Martha,  Julyl8,  1898. 
Edward  died  near  Newell,  Iowa,  September  15,  1899.  While 
a  resident  of  this  county  he  lived  on  a  farm  in  Cherry  Valley 
township.  He  removed  to  Iowa  in  1880,  and  settled  on 
a  farm,  where  he  died.  He  was  seventy-seven  years  of  age. 
One  son  and  one  daughter  survive.  His  wife  died  about  eight 
years  ago.  George  and  Hannah  Herrick  never  married.  They 
reside  in  Rockford.  E.L.  Herrick  and  family  and  Miss  Hannah 


126          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

are  members  of  Westminster  Presbyterian  church.  The  other 
members  of  this  family  attended  the  First  Congregational 
church. 

E.  L.  Herrick  was  born  at  Andover,  Massachusetts,  Sep- 
tember 30, 1820.  Mrs.  Herrick,  previous  to  her  marriage,  was 
a  teacher  in  Rockford  seminary.  She  came  in  September,  1852, 
and  taught  three  years.  They  have  three  children :  Elizabeth 
L.,  professor  of  French  language  and  literature  at  Rockford 
college;  Charles  E.,  assistant  cashier  of  the  Manufacturers 
National  Bank ;  and  Frank  J.,  of  the  firm  of  Bed  well  &  Herrick. 
Mrs.  William  Marshall,  now  residing  in  Florida,  is  a  daughter 
of  Mr.  Herrick. 

Samuel  Herrick  was  only  four  years  of  age  when  his  parents 
came  to  this  county,  and  he  has  continuously  resided  here 
since  that  time.  His  daughters,  Hattie  and  Clara  M.,  are 
teachers  in  the  Rockford  schools. 

The  three  Spafford  brothers  came  to  Rockford  in  1839,  in 
company  with  their  brother-in-law,  Jason  Marsh.  Their  father 
was  Dr.  John  Spafford.  The  eldest  son,  Charles  H.  Spafford, 
was  born  in  Jefferson  county,  New  York,  January  6,  1819. 
He  was  educated  at  Castleton,  Vermont.  He  had  chosen  the 
profession  of  the  law,  but  his  decision  to  come  west  changed  his 
plans  in  life.  Mr.  Spafford  performed  a  conspicuous  part  in 
the  development  of  the  city.  He  held  the  offices  of  postmaster, 
circuit  clerk  and  recorder.  He  was  president  of  the  Kenosha 
&  Rockford  Railroad  Company.  Mr.  Spafford,  in  company  with 
his  brother  John,  and  John  Hall,  built  Metropolitan  Hall  block. 
The  stores  and  offices  were  owned  separately  and  the  hall  was 
held  in  common.  Mr.  Spafford  also,  with  others,  built  the 
block  now  known  as  the  Chick  House.  Although  Mr.  Spafford 
made  alarge  amount  of  money,  he  sustained  reverses  of  fortune. 
When  the  banking  house  of  Spafford.  Clark  &  Ellis  went  into 
liquidation,  he  paid  all  the  liabilities  of  the  firm,  which  were 
forty-five  thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Spafford's  splendid  service  in 
the  early  struggles  of  Rockford  college  will  be  noted  in  the  chap- 
ter devoted  to  that  subject.  March,  8, 1 842,  Mr.  Spafford  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Abby  Warren.  In  March,  1892, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spafford  celebrated  their  golden  wedding.  Their 
children  are :  Airs.  Carrie  S.  Brett,  Mrs.  Charles  H.  Godfrey,  and 
Charles  H.  Spafford,  Jr.  Mr.  Spafford  died  in  September,  1892, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  He  was  a  genial  gentleman ; 
courtesy  was  the  habit  of  his  life. 


SP AFFORD  BROTHERS.— PHINEAS  HOWES,  127 

Amos  Catlin  Spafford  was  born  September  14, 1824,  in  Ad- 
ams, Jefferson  county ,  New  York.  After  he  came  west  he  followed 
farming  in  this  county  until  1848.  About  a  year  later  be  was 
interested  in  a  sawmill  on  the  old  water-power  on  the  East  side. 
In  1850  he  went  to  California,  where  he  remained  two  years. 
About  1854  he  became  a  member  of  the  banking  firm  of  Briggs, 
Spafford  &  Penfield.  Upon  the  organization  of  the  Third  Na- 
tional bank  in  1864,  Mr.  Spafford  became  its  president,  and 
held  this  position  thirty-three  years,  until  his  death.  In  1876 
he  was  one  of  the  state  commissioners  at  the  centennial  exposi- 
tion. Mr.  Spafford  died  suddenly  at  Adams,  New  York,  while  on 
a  vacation,  August  22, 1897.  Mrs.  Spafford  died  May  22,1898. 
Their  children  are :  Mrs.  J.  W.  Archibald,  who  resides  in  Florida ; 
Miss  Jessie  I.  Spafford,  professor  of  mathematics  and  physics  at 
Rockford  college;  George  C.  Spafford,  cashier  of  the  Third 
National  Bank,  and  Miss  Nettie  L.  Spafford.  Genuine  worth  is 
self-revealing.  Mr.  Spafford  was  a  man  whose  face  was  an 
immediate  passport  to  confidence,  and  it  was  a  true  index  to  his 
character.  His  genial  disposition,  sterling  worth  and  absolute 
integrity  shone  out  in  every  feature  and  expression.  He  was 
unostentatious,  kind-hearted  and  neighborly  in  manner,  and 
stood  for  the  best  things  in  the  life  of  the  city.  He  was  con- 
servative in  judgment,  yet  efficient  and  progressive  in  business. 
He  was  a  leading  representative  of  the  influential  men  whose 
strong  and  forceful  characters  have  made  Rockford  a  synonym 
for  solidity,  enterprise,  morality  and  prosperity. 

John  Spafford  was  born  November  26,  1821.  During  his 
long  life  in  Rockford  he  was  engaged  successively  in  farming, 
grocery,  and  grain  and  lumber  trade.  In  1856  he  became  the 
general  agent  of  the  Rockford  &  Keuosha  Railroad  company. 
Until  within  two  years  of  his  death,  Mr.  Spafford  was  president 
of  the  Rockford  Wire  Works  Company  and  the  Rockford  Sus- 
pender Company ;  he  was  also  interested  in  manufacturing  a 
lubricating  oil,  and  in  a  planing-mill.  Mr.  Spafford  died  De- 
cember 5, 1897.  His  manner  was  ever  gracious  toward  all  sorts 
and  conditions  of  men.  Mrs.  Spafford  and  one  daughter,  Miss 
Kate,  survive.  Two  daughters  are  deceased. 

Phineas  Howes  was  a  native  of  Putnam  county,  New  York, 
and  was  born  September  25,  1817.  He  came  to  Rockford  in 
1839,  and  in  that  year  he  erected  a  small  house  on  East  State 
street,  which  is  still  standing.  Mr.  Howes  was  a  carpenter  aud 
joiner,  and  followed  this  trade  for  many  years.  He  purchased 


128  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 


a  tract  of  land  in  Cherry  Valley  township.  For  about  fifteen 
years  he  was  a  partner  with  John  Lake  in  the  lumber  trade. 
By  strict  attention  to  business,  Mr.  Howes  accumulated  quite  a 
large  estate.  His  death  occurred  October  11, 1894.  Mrs.  C.  H. 
Woolsey  is  a  daughter.  Mrs.  Howes  was  a  sister  of  the  late 
Harris  Barnum.  She  died  December  10, 1877. 

William  Worthington  was  born  at  Enfield,  Connecticut, 
July  5, 1813.    He  came  to  Rockford  in  the  spring  of  1838. 
About  1840  he  built  a  brick  blacksmith's  shop  on  the  south- 
west  corner  of  State  and  First  streets,  where  the  Crotty  block 
now  stands.    This  shop  was  eight  or  ten  feet  below  the  present 
grade.    Later  Mr.  Worthington  built  a  wagon  shop  on  the 
same  lot,  about  the  same  size,  of  wood,  one  story.    This  wasthe 
first  wagon  shop  on  the  East  side.    There  were  then  no  other 
buildings  on  those  corners.    Mr.  Worthington  was  the  next 
blacksmith  on  the  East  side,  after  William  Penfield,  and  was 
probably  the  fourth  in  the  village.    About  1842  Mr.  Worthing- 
ton formed  a  partnership  with  Hosea  D.  Searles,  and  opened 
a  drug  store.    This  was  the  founding  of  the  business  now  car- 
ried  on  by  Worthington  &  Slade.    Mr.  Searles  had  come  from 
Connecticut  the  year  before,  and  was  familiarly  known  as  "Doc. 
Mr  Worthington's  children  are:  Miss  Julia,  William,  Frank, 
and  Charles.    His  death  occurred  April  11,  1886.    Mr.  Worth- 
ington's partner,  "Doc."  Searles,  had  a  fund  of  humor  and 
anecdotes  with  which  he  entertained  his  patrons.    He  possessed 
mechanical  skill,  which  he  utilized  by  making  the  first  soda 
fountain  in  the  village.    It  was  made  of  wood,  with  a  lever  of 
the  same  material,  about  ten  feet  long.    He  also  built  a  rotary 
steam  engine,  which  he  sold  to  the  Mt.  Morris  seminary. 

Laomi  Peake.  Sr.,  a  native  of  Herkimer  county,  New  York, 
emigrated  from  St.  Thomas,  Upper  Canada,  to  Rockford,  in 
September,  1839.  He  was  one  of  the  few  pioneers  who  brought 
ready  capital.  He  came  with  about  five  thousand  dollars  m 
money,  which  was  a  princely  sum  for  that  time.  Mr.  Peake 
was  the  first  person  who  made  a  harness  in  Rockford,  although 
a  man  preceded  him  who  did  repairing.  Mr.  Peake  purchased  the 
northeast  corner  lot  on  First  and  State  streets,  sixty-six  feet 
front  on  First  street,  by  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  feet  on  State 
street,  for  one  hundred  dollars,  and  erected  a  brick  building 
twenty-two  by  thirty-five  feet,  with  two  stories  and  a  basement, 
at  a  cost  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  The  corner  of  this  lot  is 
now  occupied  by  the  Manufacturers  Bank.  In  1852  he  com- 


SECOND  COURT    HOUSE 

Built  in  1844,  on  the  Court  House  Square 


DANIEL  S.  HAI6HT-S  RESIDENCE 

circuit  court  was  held  in  this  house 


LAOMI  PEAKE.— WILLIAM  HUL1N.—  THE  BARKUMS.  129 

pleted  a  second  brick  block  on  the  same  site,  and  finished  a  hall 
on  the  third  floor,  at  a  total  expense  of  about  eight  thousand 
dollars.  Peake's  hall  was  the  first  public  hall  in  Rockford.  This 
block  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  November,  1857,  and  the  side 
and  rear  walls  were  left  standing.  The  corner  store  was 
occupied  at  the  time  by  C.  A.  Huntington  and  Robert  Barnes, 
as  a  book-store,  at  a  rental  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
per  year.  Elisha  A.  Kirk  and  Anthony  Haines  purchased  the 
property  in  the  autumn  of  1858,  for  four  thousand  dollars,  and 
rebuilt  the  block  the  following  year.  In  1841  Mr.  Peake  built 
the  small  brick  house  directly  west  of  Mrs.  Anthony  Haines' 
residence,  on  the  same  lot,  where  seven  of  his  twelve  children 
were  born.  In  1856  he  built  the  substantial  stone  house  which 
is  now  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Haines.  Mr.  Peake  died  November 
8, 1891,  at  the  age  of  eighty -four  years.  He  was  the  father  of  L. 
Peake,  the  harness-dealer  on  West  State  street.  Mrs.  Peake 
resides  in  East  Rockford,  and  is  eighty-three  years  of  age. 

William  Hulin  was  a  native  of  Salem,  Massachusetts.  He 
settled  in  Rockton  township  in  1837  or  '38.  August  5,  1839, 
he  was  chosen  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  from  that  time  he  was 
continually  in  the  public  service.  He  resigned  from  the  office  of 
clerk  of  the  county  court  a  few  days  before  his  death,  which 
occurred  December  10,  1869.  Mr.  Hulin  was  about  sixty-one 
years  of  age.  In  the  early  forties  he  removed  to  Rockford. 
His  home  in  this  city  was  the  residence  of  Dr.  C.  H.  Richings, 
on  North  Main  street.  In  1855  he  married  the  widow  of  Merrill 
E.  Mack.  Mr.  Hulin  was  a  high-minded  gentleman,  in  whom 
those  who  knew  him  best  placed  perfect  confidence.  Mr.  Hulin 
preserved  files  of  early  Rockford  papers,  which  are  now  in  the 
public  library.  He  edited  a  work  on  school  law,  with  forms, 
which  was  of  value  to  teachers. 

Daniel  Barnum  was  a  native  of  New  York,  born  in  1778. 
In  1838  Mr.  Barnum,  with  his  wife  and  six  children,  came  to 
Winnebago  county,  and  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  in  Cherry  Valley  township.  Mr.  Barnum  removed  to 
Rockford  and  spent  his  last  days  in  retirement.  He  died  Nov- 
ember 8,  1870,  at  the  age  of  ninety-two  years. 

Harris  Barnum,  son  of  Daniel  Barnum,  was  born  in  Dan- 
bury,  Connecticut,  September  8,  1819.  He  came  with  hisfather 
to  Rockford  in  1838.  His  early  manhood  was  spent  on  his  fath- 
er's farm.  In  1866  he  engaged  in  the  shoe  business  in  Rockford 
with  the  late  Daniel  Miller,  but  soon  sold  his  interest.  From 


130          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

1870  to  1874  he  was  associated  with  Duncan  Ferguson,  now 
of  Denver,  in  the  real  estate  and  loan  business.  In  1874  Mr. 
Barnum  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Forest  City  Insurance 
Company,  of  which  he  served  as  treasurer  until  incapacitated 
by  illness.  Mr.  Barnura  held  the  offices  of  alderman  and  super- 
visor. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barnum  have  had  five  children,  three  of 
whom  are  living:  Mrs.  Alta  Williams,  and  Misses  Blanche  and 
Emily.  Mr.  Barnura  was  a  man  of  excellent  business  ability  and 
strict  integrity .  With  these  qualities  he  acquired  a  large  estate. 
Mr.  Barnum  died  February  26, 1899,  in  his  eightieth  year. 

Hon.  Horace  Miller  was  a  native  of  Berkshire  county,  Mass- 
achusetts, and  was  born  in  1798.  He  came  to  this  county 
in  1839,  and  settled  on  a  large  tract  of  land  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Kishwaukee  river,  which  in  an  early  day  was  known  as  tbe 
Terrace  farm.  At  one  time  he  owned  twelve  hundred  and  fifty 
acres.  From  1850  to  1852  Mr.  Miller  represented  this  county 
in  the  state  legislature.  He  resided  on  his  farm  until  about 
1861,  when  he  came  to  Rockford  and  lived  a  retired  life  until 
his  death  August  5, 1864.  Mr.  Miller  was  father  of  William  H. 
Miller,  a  well  known  citizen.  Mrs.  Brown,  widow  of  the  late 
Judge  Brown,  is  a  daughter. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Benjamin  came  from  Canada  in  1839, 
and  settled  in  Guilford  township.  Mr.  Benjamin's  step-daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Sarah  A.  Cook,  who  still  resides  in  East  Rockford, 
has  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  matron  of  Rockford  semi- 
nary. She  served  in  this  capacity  from  1849  to  1852.  The 
students  were  served  with  meals  in  a  frame  structure  directly 
opposite  the  first  seminary  building,  on  the  east  side  of  North 
First  street. 

Among  the  other  pioneers  of  1838  were:  Alfred  P.  Mather, 
William  Hamilton,  Levi  Monroe,  and  Richard  Marsh.  In  1839 
there  came  Courtland  Mandeville,  Frederick  Charlie,  Thaddeus 
Davis,  Sr.,  Stephen  Crilley,  D.  Bierer,  Chester  Hitchcock,  John 
Bull,  H.  Hudson.  Others  who  came  previous  to  1840  were: 
Sylvester  Scott,  James  Gilbert,  Artemas  Hitchcock,  John  W. 
Dyer,  Samuel  C.  Fuller,  Newton  Crawford,  Jonathan  Hitchcock, 
Dr.  D.  Goodrich,  Hollis  H.  Holmes,  Stephen  Gilbert,  and  Bela 
Shaw.  Judge  Shaw  died  suddenly  May  31,  1865.  Five  broth- 
ers, Thomas,  William,  John,  Robert  and  Benjamin  Garrett, 
with  their  parents,  settled  in  Guilford  township.  Thomas  died 
January  20,  1900.  He  was  a  Manxman,  born  on  the  Isle  of 
Man,  February  11, 1827. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

TRIALS  OF  THE  PIONEERS. — SCARCITY  OF  PROVISIONS. 

ONE  of  the  greatest  privations  of  the  early  settlers  was  the 
scarcity  of  provisions,  which  at  that  time  were  obtained 
from  the  older  settlements  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  state. 
The  pioneers  possessed  limited  means,  and  few  were  individually 
able  to  bear  the  expense  of  a  journey  of  such  distance.  Several 
neighbors  would  unite  their  small  sums,  and  send  one  of  their 
number  for  supplies.  The  difficulties  of  travel  were  great ;  there 
were  rivers  to  cross,  either  forded  or  swam ;  streams  and  sloughs 
to  be  waded ;  muddy  roads  and  ponderous  wagons.  Under 
these  circumstances,  the  time  of  the  messenger's  return  was 
uncertain.  Later,  when  a  trade  in  provisions  had  been  estab- 
lished, the  same  obstacles  kept  them  at  almost  fabulous  prices, 
and  the  settlers  were  sometimes  reduced  to  the  verge  of  absolute 
destitution.  Flour  sold  from  sixteen  to  twenty  dollars  per 
barrel,  and  on  one  occasion  Thomas  Lake  purchased  three  bar- 
rels at  twenty-two  dollars  each.  Pork  was  thirty  dollars  per 
barrel ;  wheat  sold  from  three  to  four  dollars  per  bushel ;  New 
Orleans  sugar  twenty-five  cents  per  pound ;  and  other  provis- 
ions in  proportion.  This  condition  rendered  it  impossible  for 
the  great  majority  of  the  settlers,  with  their  scanty  means,  to 
scarcely  procure  the  necessities  for  their  support.  For  six  weeks 
in  the  winter  of  1837-38  there  was  a  tobacco  famine,  which  was 
a  terrible  privation  to  the  slaves  of  the  filthy  weed.  "Judge" 
E.  S.  Blackstone  said  the  people  in  the  early  forties  were  too 
poor  to  cast  a  shadow.  Mr.  Thurston  ventures  the  assertion 
that  in  1841-42  there  were  not  twenty  farmers  in  the  county 
who  possessed  a  suit  of  clothes  suitable  to  wear  at  church  or  at 
court,  which  they  had  purchased  with  the  fruits  of  their  labor 
on  their  farms.  Some  who  had  passed  the  prime  of  life  became 
discouraged  and  returned  to  their  homes  in  the  east  to  die. 
Barter  was  practiced  even  in  payment  for  performing  the  mar- 
riage ceremony.  Abraham  I.  Enoch,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  once 
took  a  bushel  of  beans  as  his  fee.  Joel  B.  Potter,  a  clergyman, 
was  compensated  for  two  ceremonies  in  wheat,  and  one  day's 
breaking.  Ephraim  Sumner  swam  Pecatonica  river  twice  one 
cold  night,  to  perform  the  rite,  and  received  fifty  cents. 


132         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

Had  it  not  been  for  a  beneficent  Providence,  who  stocked 
the  woods  and  prairies  with  game  and  the  rivers  with  fish,  many 
would  have  suffered  for  the  necessities  of  the  barest  subsistence. 
As  late  as  1841  the  scarcity  of  fruit  was  a  great  trial.  There 
was  little,  and  often  none,  not  even  canned  fruit.  There  were 
dried  apples,  and  the  housewives  made  "mince-pies"  of  them. 
Sometimes,  in  case  of  sickness,  the  ways  and  means  looked 
rather  dark,  and  the  mother  and  her  whole  family  might  be 
involved.  In  such  cases  none  filled  a  more  important  place 
than  Miss  Betsy  Weldon,  whom  a  few  will  remember.  Strong 
and  well  herself,  she  could  fill  the  place  of  nurse,  housekeeper, 
dressmaker,  milliner,  and  general  repairer  of  clothing.  She  was 
ever  ready  to  respond  to  cases  of  need. 

The  late  Judge  Church  once  told  this  story :  "I  have  in  my 
mind  one  who  is  now  among  the  most  prosperous  farmers,  who 
found  himself  without  the  means  of  procuring  for  his  family  a 
single  meal,  and  he,  with  one  of  his  neighbors  similarly  situated, 
determined  to  try  their  luck  at  fishing.  They  proceeded  to  Rock 
river,  and  met  with  success  entirely  beyond  their  expectations. 
When  returning,  each  with  as  many  fish  as  he  could  well  carry, 
said  one  farmer :  'Well,  we  have  got  our  fish,  but  what  have 
we  to  fry  them  in?'  'Fry  them  in!'  replied  his  hopeful  and 
satisfied  companion.  'Why,  fry  them  in  water!'  And  could 
you  in  those  days  have  visited  the  log  cabins  scattered  over 
these  prairies,  that  are  now  groaning  under  the  load  of  a  boun- 
tiful harvest,  and  covered  with  all  the  evidences  of  comfort  that 
wealth  can  purchase,  you  would  have  found  many  a  man  going 
to  his  hard  day's  toil  from  as  scanty  a  breakfast  as  of  suckers 
fried  in  water." 

It  is  well  that  Winuebago  county  was  settled  by  such  a  class 
of  sturdy  pioneers ;  men  of  will  and  purpose,  who  knew  no  such 
word  as  fail ;  who  pushed  out  in  advance  of  civilization,  with 
the  determination  of  the  old  Norse  baron,  who  engraved  upon 
his  shield,  as  heraldic  device,  a  pickax,  surmounted  by  the 
motto,  "Where  there's  no  hole  for  me  to  pass,  I'll  make  one." 

It  must  be  evident  to  the  casual  observer  that  only  a  small 
portion  of  the  human  family  possess  the  qualifications  for  pio- 
neers. It  is  not  the  business  of  the  pioneer  to  seek  good  society ; 
but  to  make  it.  Contrary  to  Mr.  Carlyle's  dictum,  the  society 
of  that  day  was  not  founded  upon  cloth.  The  social  status 
was  based  upon  respectability.  In  the  rural  districts  a  family 
would  sometimes  drive  twenty  or  twenty-five  miles  in  a  lumber 


TRIBUTE  TO  PIONEER  WOMEN.  138 

wagon,  to  visit  a  "neighbor."  In  the  village  amusements  were 
extemporized  to  dispel  the  lonesomeness  of  the  long  winter 
evenings.  Among  the  most  popular  was  the  "mock  court." 
The  sessions  of  the  court  were  held  in  Mr.  Miller's  store,  where 
"pent-up  Uticas"  of  spread-eagle  eloquence  were  allowed  full 
expression.  Each  member  of  the  court  had  his  sobriquet ;  some 
of  these  were  not  suggested  by  the  muses.  Another  popular 
summer  amusement  with  a  certain  class  was  the  "awkward 
squad,"  which  performed  frequent  evolutions  around  Sam 
Little's  saloon.  They  always  produced  a  "smile." 

The  noble  band  of  women  displayed  the  fortitude  of  true 
heroines.  They  shared  the  toils,  endured  the  privations,  coun- 
seled in  difficulties,  encouraged  in  despondency,  and  nursed  in 
sickness.  At  the  first  reunion  of  the  Society  of  Early  Settlers, 
held  at  the  Holland  House,  February  2, 1871,  Charles  I.  Hors- 
man  responded  to  the  toast,  "The  Mothers  and  Daughters  of 
the  West,  in  which  he  paid  them  this  tribute: 

"I  don't  know  whyl  have  been  selected  to  respond  to  this 
toast,  only  that  the  ladies  and  I  have  always  been  good  friends, 
and  I  find  them  my  best  friends  in  prosperity  and  in  adversity. 

"  'Man  works  from  sun  to  sun, 
Woman's  work  is  never  done.' 

"Mr.  President,  the  truth  of  this  old  adage  was  literally  verified 
in  the  early  settlement  of  this  county.  It  was  the  women  that 
carried  the  laboring  oar,  and  it  was  to  their  untiring  industry 
by  day  and  night  that  we,  the  men,  mainly  owe  the  measure  of 
success  we  have  achieved.  It  was  her  words  of  encouragement, 
and  smiles  of  approbation  that  cheered  us  on  in  the  darkest 
hour  of  trial.  They  were  not  the  effeminate  angels  that  Willis 
writes  of,  'with  lips  like  rose-leaves  torn,'  but  sterling  women 
that  met  the  stern  realities  of  life,  and  were  equal  to  the  occa- 
sion; .  .  and,  Mr.  President,  what  would  we  poor  fellows 
have  done  when  burning  up  with  fever,  or  chilled  to  death  with 
the  ague !  But  for  the  kind  offices  of  wife  and  mother  and  sister 
to  smooth  our  pillow,  bathe  our  fevered  brows,  and  moisten 
our  parched  lips,  many  of  use  here  tonight  in  robust  health 
would  be  lying  under  the  clods  of  the  valley.  All  honor,  say 
I,  Mr.  President,  to  the  mothers  and  daughters  of  the  west, 
those  who,  with  their  enterprising  fathers  and  husbands,  left 
their  own  pleasant  hills  and  valleys  to  tread  upon  the  receding 
footsteps  of  the  red  man." 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

ROCKFORD  HOUSES  IN   1838.— LATER  BUILDINGS.— H.  H.  SILSBY. 

IN  April,  1838,  there  were  only  four  houses  north  of  State 
street,  in  West  Rockford :  the  ferry  house  on  the  site  of  the 
public  library  building;  Abiram  Morgan 'slog  house,  on  orvery 
near  the  site  of  theHorsman  residence;  a  log  cabin  on  the  bank 
of  the  river,  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  rods  above  State, 
occupied  by  Rev.  John  Morrill,  and  D.  A.  Spaulding,  the 
government  surveyor;  aboard  and  plank  house  near  the  site 
of  A.  D.  Forbes'  residence,  occupied  by  John  and  Calvin  Has- 
kell,  nephews  of  Dr.  George  Haskell.  South  of  State  street 
there  were  quite  a  number  of  cabins.  Nathaniel  Loomis  and 
his  son,  Henry  W.  Loomis,  lived  in  a  log  house  near  the  south- 
east corner  of  State  and  Main  streets ;  and  much  of  the  valuable 
property  in  this  block  still  belongs  to  the  Loomis  estate.  On 
the  west  side  of  Main,  D.  D.  Ailing  had  an  unfinished  house. 
Directly  north  was  a  two-story  frame  house,  which  remained 
unfinished  for  several  years.  On  the  same  side,  opposite  the 
government  building,  still  stands  the  residence  of  George  VV. 
Brinckerhoff.  On  the  corner  north  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwest- 
ern depot,  Nathaniel  Wilder  hadahouseof  one  and  ahalf  story. 
On  the  east  side  of  Main,  opposite  the  new  depot,  Wyman  & 
Houghton  had  a  story-and-a-half  building  used  as  a  bakery 
and  boarding  house.  South  of  the  C.,  B.  &  Q.  depot,  on  the 
west  side  of  Main,  James  Mitchell  had  a  small  house.  On  the 
same  side  of  the  street,  near  the  bank  of  the  creek,  stood  Mr. 
Kent's  house  and  sawmill.  There  was  a  log  hut  eight  or  ten 
rods  below  the  mill  that  had  been  used  as  a  blacksmith's  shop, 
and  a  store  near  the  river.  William  E.  Dunbar  had  lived  in  a  log 
cabin  about  one  hundred  yards  south  of  the  creek,  and  twelve 
to  fifteen  rods  east  of  Main  street.  Sanford  &Platt's  store  was 
on  the  river  bank,  south  of  State.  Benjamin  Kilburn  had  a  frame 
house  on  the  site  of  the  Hotel  Nelson.  There  was  a  total  of 
eighteen  buildings  in  the  village  on  the  west  side  of  the  river, 
beside  the  cabin  built  by  Mr.  Blake  in  the  grove  to  the  west. 


EAST  SIDE  HOUSES.  135 


The  East  side  was  somewhat  larger.  The  Rockford  House 
was  for  some  time  the  only  hotel  between  Belvidere  and  Free- 
port.  On  the  southwest  corner  of  State  and  Madison  streets 
stood  Bundy  &  Goodhue's  store.  Directly  south  was  a  build- 
ing erected  by  Mr.  Haight.  The  first  floor  was  the  postoffice, 
and  the  second  was  occupied  by  Tinker  &  Johnson  as  a  tailor 
shop.  On  the  northwest  corner  of  Madison  and  Walnut  was  a 
ball  alley  owned  by  Charles  Oliver.  On  the  southeast  corner  of 
State  and  Madison  was  Potter  &  Preston's  store.  They  suc- 
ceeded Bundy  &  Goodhue  on  the  opposite  corner,  where  they 
remained  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Preston,  when  Mr.  Potter  con- 
tinued the  business  alone  fora  time.  East  of  Potter  &  Preston's 
first  store  was  the  foundation  of  the  Washington  House.  On 
the  northeast  corner  of  State  and  Main  was  Daniel  S.  Haight's 
unfinished  frame  house.  On  East  State  street  Mr.  Haight  was 
putting  up  a  one-story  building  for  a  postoffice,  which  a  few 
years  later  was  occupied  by  Worthington  &  Searles  as  the  sec- 
ond drug  store  in  the  village ;  this  building  is  still  standing- 
near  the  Keuosha  depot.  East  of  the  postoffice  site,  on  the 
alley,  was  Mr.  Haight's  first  log  house,  occupied  by  John  Miller 
as  a  boarding  house.  East  of  the  alley,  on  State,  was  Samuel 
Little's  saloon.  On  North  First  street  was  a  story-and-a-half 
house  occupied  by  Samuel  Corey,  a  brother-in-law  of  Mr.  Haight. 
North  of  Mr.  Haight's  frame  house  was  a  story-aud-a-half 
house  owned  by  William  Hamilton ;  and  at  the  northeast  cor- 
ner of  Madison  and  Market  was  William  Peufield's  blacksmith's 
shop.  Between  the  * 'swell-front"  and  the  brick  house  south  on 
South  Second  street  owned  by  Sapauel  I.  Church,  stood  a  house 
with  a  story  and  a  half,  owned  by  Dr.  David  Goodrich.  In  the 
rear  of  this,  on  the  alley,  was  a  log  structure  occupied  as  a 
schoolhouse  about  1837—38.  On  the  site  of  the  streetcar  barns 
on  Kishwaukee  street,  was  Anson  Barnum's  double  log  house. 
At  the  southeast  corner  of  Second  and  Walnut  was  John  Phelps' 
house,  afterward  owned  by  William  P.  Dennis.  On  the  west 
side  of  First  street,  opposite  the  fire  station,  was  John  C.  Kem- 
ble's  house;  and  on  the  river  bank,  north  of  Walnut,  James 
Clark  was  building  a  store,  in  which  he  kept  a  general  stock. 
The  "stage  barn"  built  for  Mr.  Haight  in  1836  by  Thomas 
Lake  and  Sidney  Twogood,  stood  near  the  intersection  of  State 
and  Third  streets.  John  Vance'e  log  structure,  built  for  a  store, 
was  on  South  First  street,  opposite  the  hay  market.  There  was 
a  log  house  about  ten  rods  southeast  of  the  "stage  barn," 


136         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNT?. 

occupied  by  a  Mr.  Kingsley,  who  came  from  Belvidere  to  work 
for  Mr.  Haight  on  the  Kockford  House.  James  Boswell's  cabin 
was  near  the  Peacock  estate.  Jacob  Posson's  cabin  was  in  the 
vicinity  of  block  twenty-one,  Gregory  &  Penfield's  Addition. 
These,  with  the  East  side  ferry  house,  and  a  small  log  hut  used 
for  a  stable,  were  all  the  buildings  within  half  a  mile  of  the  inter- 
section of  State  and  Madison  streets,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river, 
in  April,  1838.  Mr.  llaight  erected  at  least  seven  buildings  on 
the  East  side,  beside  three  bar  us,  and  one-half  of  the  Rockford 
House.  In  1839-40  he  build  the  large  two-story  brick  house 
east  of  Longwood  street,  which  is  still  standing.  Mr.  Haight 
claimed  that  one  hundred  thousand  brick  were  used  in  its 
construction. 

In  the  spring  and  summer  of  1838  Harvey  H.  Silsby,  Mowry 
Brown,  William  Hull  and  William  Harvey  built  the  house  now 
standing  north  of  Mrs.  W.  A.  Dickerman's  residence,  for  Dr. 
Haskell,  who  afterward  sold  itto  John  Edwards.  In  the  autumn 
was  erected  by  Dr.  Haskell  the  brick  building  which  was  known 
later  as  the  Winnebago  House,  on  Andrew  Ashton's  corner. 
When  laying  out  the  ground  for  the  cellar  Mr.  Silsby  persuaded 
Dr.  Haskell  to  set  his  building  six  feet  from  the  line  of  the 
street.  The  Winnebago  House  was  the  first  brick  store  built 
above  Rock  Island  on  Rock  river.  Into  this  store  Dr.  Haskell 
moved  the  stock  of  goods  from  the  building  on  the  river  bank 
which  had  been  occupied  by  Platt  &  Sanford ;  and  he  and  Isaiah 
Lyon  continued  the  business.  In  1843  Mr.  Lyon  closed  out 
the  stock,  and  converted  the  building  into  a  hotel,  under  the 
name  of  the  Winnebago  House.  Mr.  Lyon's  successors  as  pro- 
prietor were  N.  Crawford,  C.  C.  Cobern,  P.  C.  Watson,  James  B. 
Pierce,  Isaac  N.  Cunningham,  and  D.  Sholts.  The  building 
passed  into  Mr.  Beaton's  hands  in  1854,  and  was  afterward 
rearraged  into  stores. 

After  finishing  Dr.  Haskell's  brick  block,  Mr.  Silsby  and 
Mowry  Brown  built  a  house  for  G.  A.  Sanford  near  the  center 
of  the  block,  south  of  Porter's  drug  store,  on  Main  street.  This 
house  is  now  standing  near  the  Chestnut  street  bridge.  Ben- 
jamin Kilburn  built  his  house  near  the  Trask  bridge  road  that 
season.  The  rear  of  the  Beattie  house  was  built  the  same  sum- 
mer. 

In  September,  1839,  Mr.  Silsby  and  Phineas  Howes  entered 
into  a  contract  to  build  a  trestle  bridge  over  the  Kishwaukee 


DEATH  OF  MR.  SILSBY.  137 


river  at  Newburg,  once  called  Sayresville,  after  its  founder, 
Colonel  Sayres.  Newburg  was  then  in  Winnebago  county,  on 
the  mile-strip.  The  bridge  was  built  of  heavy  timbers  framed 
together,  and  floor  timbers  laid  from  one  bent  to  another  to 
support  the  floor.  This  bridge  extended  several  hundred  feet 
south  of  the  river  across  a  marsh  to  solid  ground.  Thirty-two 
years  later  Mr.  Silsby  crossed  this  bridge  with  a  loaded  wagon. 

Mr.  Silsby  rendered  great  service  to  the  writer  in  locating 
these  buildings  of  the  early  days.  His  trade,  that  of  contractor 
and  builder,  doubtless  fixed  the  dates  of  their  erection  in  his 
mind.  No  other  individual  furnished  a  more  valuable  fund  of 
information  in  the  preparation  of  this  work.  He  knew  the 
village  from  the  beginning,  and  he  retained  his  excellent  mem- 
ory unimpaired  to  the  last.  Mr.  Silsby  died  suddenly  April 
7, 1899,  in  Kansas,  after  having  spent  the  winter  with  his 
daughter  in  Rockford.  He  was  eighty-one  years  of  age.  Mr. 
Silsby  was  born  in  Acworth,  Sullivan  county,  New  Hampshire, 
November  1 ,  1817.  He  went  in  1837  to  Upper  Alton,  where 
he  remained  until  he  came  to  Rockford  the  f olio wiug  year.  After 
working  at  his  trade  for  some  years,  he  embarked  in  mercantile 
business.  Mr.  Silsby  was  survived  by  three  daughters,  two  of 
whom  reside  in  Rockford.  They  are  Mrs.  Harriet  Griswold 
and  Mrs.  Levi  Sanders.  George  A.  Silsby,  of  Mitchell,  South 
Dakota,  formerly  in  the  shoe  business  in  Rockford,  is  a  son. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE  FIRST  BAPTIST  CHURCH.— JACOB  KNAPP.— DR.  THOMAS  KERR. 

THE  oldest  Baptist  organization  west  of  Chicago  is  the  First 
Baptist  church  of  Belvidere.  On  a  Sunday  in  March,  1836, 
Rev.  John  S.  King  preached  the  first  sermon  in  the  Kishwaukee 
country,  at  the  primitive  home  of  Timothy  Caswell.  The  First 
Baptist  churcli  was  founded  in  July,  1836,  and  was  the  first 
religious  organization  in  Belvidere.  Its  first  pastor  was  Prof. 
Seth  S.  Whitman,  who  served  ten  years.  Prof.  Whitman  was  a 
native  of  Shaftsbury,  Vermont.  He  was  graduated  from  Mad- 
ison university ;  and  later,  in  1827,  he  was  one  of  the  three  who 
formed  the  first  graduating  class  from  Newton  Theological  insti- 
tution. Immediately  after  his  graduation,  he  was  called  to  the 
chair  of  Biblical  interpretation  at  Hamilton  Theological  insti- 
tution. This  chair  he  occupied  seven  years,  until  his  health 
failed,  when  he  came  to  Belvidere.  Prof.  Whitman  also  per- 
formed duty  as  a  civil  officer  in  that  early  day.  In  1841  he 
was  clerk  of  the  circuit  court  under  the  appointment  of  Judge 
Dan.  Stone,  and  postmaster  of  the  village.  Belvidere,  in  1836, 
was  included  in  this  county;  hence  a  reference  to  the  church  in 
that  village  has  a  place  in  this  chapter. 

The  First  Baptist  church  of  Rockford  was  organized  Decem- 
ber 22,  1838,  at  the  home  of  Dr.  Haskell.  It  is  thus  the  second 
Baptist  church  planted  in  northern  Illinois,  and  the  third  relig- 
ious organization  in  Rockford.  Prof.  Whitman  and  Deacon 
Nathaniel  Crosby  from  Belvidere  were  present.  Prof.  Whitman 
was  chosen  moderator,  and  Dr.  Haskell,  clerk.  A  declaration 
of  twelve  articles  of  faith  and  a  church  covenant  were  adopted. 
Sixteen  residents  of  Rockford  presented  church  letters,  as  fol- 
lows: James  and  Martha  Jackson,  from  Indianoplis,  Indiana; 
Abiram  Morgan,  from  the  First  Baptist  church,  Springfield, 
Massachusetts;  Pierce  and  Evelina  Wood,  from  Conneaut, 
Ohio;  John  and  Susan  Emerson,  Machias  Point,  Maine;  Wil- 
liam B.  Brainard,  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin;  Ransom  and  Lucy 
Knapp,  George  and  Eunice  P.  Haskell,  Mo  wry  and  Lucy  Brown, 
Isaiah  Lyon,  and  Caleb  Blood,  from  Upper  Alton. 


CONSTITUENT  MEMBERS.  139 

In  June,  1888,  the  church  celebrated  its  semi-centennial. 
The  Rock  River  Association  had  been  invited  to  hold  its  regu- 
lar session  in  Rockford.  It  was  proposed  to  celebrate  this 
anniversary  at  the  time  the  Association  should  meet,  although 
the  exact  date  of  organization  was  later  in  the  year.  The 
Association  accepted  the  invitation.  At  that  time  the  pastor, 
Rev.  W.  A.  Stan  ton,  Ph.  D.,  prepared  an  excellent  historical 
address,  to  which  the  writer  is  indebted  for  many  of  the  facts 
given  in  this  chapter. 

Just  one-half  of  the  constituent  membership  of  the  church 
came  from  Upper  Alton.  This  enrollment  included  several  men 
of  sturdy  character  and  progressive  ideas.  Dr.  Haskell  has 
already  been  introduced  to  the  reader.  Isaiah  Lyon  honored 
every  position  to  which  he  was  called.  Mr.  Lyon  was  born  in 
Woodstock,  Connecticut,  in  February,  1804.  He  was  acousin  of 
General  Nathaniel  Lyon,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  near  Wil- 
son's creek,  in  18G1.  About  1825  Mr.  Lyon  went  to  St.  Louis, 
thence  to  Upper  Alton,  and  from  there  he  came  to  Rockford. 
He  was  in  mercantile  business,  proprietor  of  the  Winnebago 
House,  and  for  thirty-one  consecutive  years  a  justice  of  the 
peace.  He  resigned  on  account  of  declining  health,  after  he  was 
seventy  years  of  age.  Mr.  Lyon's  sterling  qualities  inspired 
confidence,  and  the  poor  always  found  in  him  an  adviser  and 
helper.  He  was  prosperous  in  business,  and  acquired  a  consid- 
able  estate.  Mr.  Lyon  died  January  22,  1883.  His  only  child 
is  Mrs.  S.  F.  Weyburn,  who  is  now  residing  in  Scranton,  Penn- 
sylvania. Abiram  Morgan  was  one  of  the  most  prominent 
citizens  of  early  Rockford,  and  maintained  his  membership  with 
the  church  until  his  death,  January  6,  1855.  Ransom  Knapp 
was  a  brother  of  Rev.  Jacob  Knapp,  the  revivalist.  Caleb  Blood 
had  been  a  student  at  Shurtleff  college,  and  became  a  Baptist 
clergyman.  He  was  a  grandson  of  Rev.  Caleb  Blood,  whose 
ministry  in  New  England  from  1777  to  1814  was  well  known. 

January  12,  1839,  three  weeks  after  its  organization,  the 
church  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  A.  Chapin,  of  Shurtleff  college,  at 
a  salary  of  three  hundred  dollars  a  year.  He  declined  the  call, 
and  until  May,  1841,  the  church  depended  upon  occasional 
supplies.  Among  these  were  Prof.  Whitman,  of  Belvidere,  and 
Rev.  John  Sears.  Dr.  Haskell  was  deacon  and  clerk,  and  withal 
a  pillar  of  strength.  He  had  built  a  brick  block  on  the  site  of 
Hon.  Andrew  Ashton's  store,  with  a  hall  on  the  second  floor 
for  public  meetings;  and  here  the  church  held  its  services  until 


140          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAOO  COUNT J. 

May,  1841.  The  missionary  spirit  was  fostered.  There  is  a 
record  of  a  vote,  March  9, 1839,  to  give  twenty-five  dollars  to 
the  Illinois  Baptist  convention. 

In  December,  1839,  the  church  was  legally  incorporated, 
and  plans  for  a  house  of  worship  were  considered.  In  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  lot  six  in  block  eleven  was  purchased.  This  is  the 
northwest  corner  of  Main  and  Peach  streets,  and  is  now  owned 
by  the  W.  A.  Knowlton  estate.  The  church  had  enjoyed  no 
preaching  for  three  months,  and  in  April,  1840,  it  was  decided 
to  have  regular  services,  with  or  without  preaching.  A  system 
of  benevolence,  to  begin  June  1,  was  adopted.  In  July  follow- 
ing a  call  was  extended  to  S.  C.  Jameson,  a  student  at  Brown 
university ;  but  it  was  declined. 

September  23, 1840,  the  Rock  River  Baptist  Association 
was  organized  at  Belvidere.  During  1839-40  churches  had 
been  organized  at  Round  Prairie,  Roscoe,  Pecatonica,  and 
Sugar  River.  The  Rockford  church  appointed  six  delegates  to 
attend  the  Association.  Dr.  Haskell  was  chosen  moderator, 
and  Prof.  Whitman,  clerk.  The  total  membership  of  the  six 
churches  of  the  Association  was  two  hundred  and  nineteen.  The 
minutes  of  this  first  Association  were  published  in  full  in  eight 
small  pages.  A  copy  is  preserved  in  the  Rockf ord  public  library, 
and  is  probably  the  only  one  in  existence.  A  complete  file  of 
the  minutes  of  the  Rock  River  Baptist  Association  for  fifty-nine 
years  has  been  preserved  in  this  library.  The  early  numbers 
were  collected  by  Rev.  E.  C.  Mitchell,  D.  D.,  while  he  was  pastor 
of  the  State  Street  Baptist  church. 

The  erection  of  the  new  house  of  worship  proceeded  as  rap- 
idly as  possible.  This  sanctuary  stood  close  to  Main  street, 
and  faced  the  east.  It  was  a  balloon  frame,  about  thirty  by 
forty  feet,  clapboarded,  with  no  cupola.  There  were  three  win- 
dows on  either  side,  but  none  in  front  or  rear.  Three  or  four 
steps  at  the  front  led  to  a  porch,  the  covering  of  which  was  an 
extension  of  the  gable  end  of  the  roof.  This  projecting  roof 
was  supported  by  four  square  columns.  The  interior  consisted 
of  a  single  room.  From  the  door  there  was  one  center  aisle, 
and  on  either  side  a  row  of  pews  which  extended  to  the  side 
walls.  At  the  right  and  left  were  seats,  slightly  raised,  for  the 
singers.  At  the  west  end  was  the  pulpit,  upon  a  platform 
securely  boxed. 

The  first  sermon  preached  in  this  church  was  on  May  9, 
1841.  It  was  not  then  completed,  and  temporary  seats  were 


EARLY  PASTORS.  141 


used.  Prof.  Whitman  was  the  preacher,  and  from  that  time 
until  November  12th  of  the  same  year,  he  regularly  supplied 
the  pulpit,  at  five  dollars  a  Sunday.  As  a  stated  supply,  Prof. 
Whitman  may  be  considered  in  a  restricted  sense  as  the  first 
pastor. 

The  Rock  River  Baptist  Association  held  its  second  annual 
session  with  the  Rockford  church  September  18  and  19,  1841. 
The  delegates  at  Bel  videre  the  precedingyear  had  been  instructed 
to  invite  the  Association  to  meet  in  Rockford  at  this  time,  and 
the  invitation  had  been  accepted.  The  introductory  sermon 
was  preached  by  Rev.  Luther  W.  Lawrence,  of  Bonus.  The  total 
membership  of  the  churches  in  the  Association  had  increased 
since  the  first  session  from  t  wo  hundred  and  nineteen  to  two 
hundred  and  sixty. 

The  first  resident  pastor  was  the  Rev.  Solomon  Knapp.  He 
came  from  Des  Plaines,  Illinois,  November  12, 1841,  served  less 
than  a  year,  and  resigned  September  19, 1842.  His  salary  was 
at  the  rate  of  three  hundred  dollars  a  year.  During  his  pastorate 
there  were  nine  additions  by  baptism  and  eight  by  letter.  From 
his  departure  until  the  autumn  of  1843  the  church  was  without 
a  pastor. 

A  call  was  then  extended  to  Rev.  Warren  F.  Parrish,  of 
Massilon,  Ohio.  He  was  a  convert  from  Mormonism  to  the 
Baptist  faith ;  and  it  is  said  the  threats  made  by  the  Mormons 
greatly  annoyed  him  and  his  wife.  The  church  paid  him  a  sal- 
ary of  three  hundred  dollars  and  house-rent  the  first  year ;  the 
second  year  he  received  four  hundred  dollars.  Of  this  amount, 
the  Home  Missionary  Society  paid  one  hundred  dollars.  This 
is  the  only  year,  in  the  entire  history  of  the  church,  when  it 
received  any  assistance  from  this  source.  The  First  Baptist 
society  of  Rockford  was  organized  January  6,  1845.  During 
the  summer  of  that  year  there  was  a  lack  of  harmony  between 
the  pastor  and  people,  and  September  1st  Rev.  Parrish  tendered 
his  resignation.  He  continued  his  residence  in  Rockford,  and 
his  membership  with  the  church  until  June  15,  1860,  when  he 
was  excluded.  He  had  preferred  charges  against  Dr.  Clark,  who 
was  then  pastor,  for  preaching  heresy  as  to  the  Biblical  teaching 
about  usury.  The  church  exonerated  Dr.  Clark,  and  rebuked 
Rev.  Parrish.  He  continued  to  agitate  the  matter,  however, 
until  he  was  excluded.  Upon  his  confession  of  error,  he  was 
restored  January  4,  1862.  In  1866  he  removed  to  Kansas, 
where  he  became  insane,  and  died. 


142          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

About  a  month  after  the  resignation  of  Eev.  Fairish,  the 
church  invited  Rev.  O.  H.  Read,  of  Portageville,  New  York,  to 
supply  six  months,  from  October  13,  1845.  The  terms  were  : 
"one  hundred  dollars  in  money,  a.  cook  stove,  delf,  and  furniture 
with  which  tokeephouse;  but  he  was  to  pay  his  own  house  rent." 
Rev.  Read  was  unwilling  to  remain  longer  than  the  six  months. 

Rev.  Luther  Stone  came  from  Rock  Island  and  served  as 
pastor  from  June,  1846,  to  June,  1847,  with  a  salary  of  four 
hundred  dollars.  In  October,  1846,  the  church  granted  letters 
to  eight  members,  to  form  a  church  at  Harlem.  Deacon  R.  T. 
Mabie  was  one  of  the  number.  After  a  struggle  of  two  years 
the  Harlem  church  disbanded,  and  Deacon  Mabie  reunited  with 
the  church  November  18,  1848. 

From  July  18,  1847,  to  October,  1848,  the  church  was  again 
favored  with  Prof.  Whitman  as  a  stated  supply.  His  health 
failed,  and  he  retired  for  three  years  from  pastoral  duties.  He 
then  took  charge  of  a  Baptist  church  at  Madison,  Wisconsin, 
where  he  died  after  eight  months  of  service,  January  2,  1852. 
The  Baptists  of  northern  Illinois  and  southern  Wisconsin  owe 
a  great  debt  to  this  cultured  Christian  gentleman.  Dr.  Frank 
S.  Whitman,  a  prominent  physician  and  politician  of  Belvidere, 
is  a  nephew. 

In  the  autumn  of  1848,  Elder  Jacob  Knapp  removed  from 
the  east,  and  November  18th  he  united  with  the  First  church 
by  letter.  The  church  was  then  without  a  pastor,  and  arrange- 
ments were  soon  made  with  Elder  Knapp  for  holding  revival 
meetings.  The  little  frame  building  was  too  small,  and  the 
church  secured  the  use  of  the  court  house,  where  it  continued  to 
hold  services  until  the  new  stone  structure  was  completed.  Elder 
Knapp  continued  his  labors  until  June,  1849.  At  the  annual 
session  of  the  Rock  River  Association,  held  that  month,  the 
church  reported  sixty-two  additions  by  baptism  and  seventeen 
by  letter.  These  accessions  increased  the  membership  to  one 
hundred  and  sixty. 

Elder  Knapp  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men  of  his 
time.  He  was  born  in  Otsego  county,  New  York,  December  7, 
1799.  He  was  graduated  at  Hamilton  Theological  seminary 
in  June,  1825,  and  ordained  in  the  following  August  at  Spring- 
field, New  York.  After  serving  the  church  at  Springfield  for  five 
years,  and  the  church  at  Watertown  for  three  years,  he  began 
his  career  as  an  evangelist.  For  fifteen  years  his  home  was  at 
Hamilton,  New  York,  and  for  twenty-five  years  at  Rockford. 


ELDER  JACOB  KNAPP.  143 


Elder  Knapp  claimed  to  have  preached  about  sixteen  thou- 
sand sermons,  baptized  four  thousand  candidates,  and  was  the 
means  of  making  one  hundred  thousand  converts  by  his  revival 
ministry,  of  whom  two  hundred  became  ministers  of  the  gospel. 
Elder  Knapp's  mind  was  characterized  by  strong  logical  tend- 
encies, and  his  sermons  abounded  in  homely  illustrations,  apt 
quotations  from  the  Bible,  and  a  good  knowledge  of  human 
nature.  The  sight  of  a  Unitarian  or  Universalist  had  much  the 
same  influence  upon  him  that  red  flannel  has  upon  a  certain 
domestic  animal.  In  commenting  upon  the  cold  intellectuality 
which  was  supposed  to  distinguish  the  Unitarians,  Elder  Knapp 
said  that  when  they  went  to  hell,  they  would  so  change  the 
atmosphere  of  the  place  that  all  the  little  devils  could  skate  on 
the  ice.  In  stature,  Elder  Kuapp  was  short,  squarely  and 
stoutly  built,  his  voice  was  deeply  sepulchral,  and  his  manner 
self-possessed.  He  was  fertile  in  expedients  and  possessed  an 
indomitable  will.  He  was  quick  at  repartee,  in  which  he  was  a 
consummate  master.  An  instance  is  recalled  when  he  was  inter- 
rupted in  a  sermon  by  a  smart  young  man  in  the  gallery  who 
inquired  as  to  who  was  the  father  of  the  devil.  Quick  as  a  flash 
came  the  retort  from  the  evangelist:  "Young  man,  keep  your 
own  family  record."  On  one  occasion  Elder  Knapp  met  two 
clergymen  on  the  street,  when  one  said  to  the  other,  so  that  the 
Elder  could  hear:  "Have  you  heard  the  news — they  say  the 
devil  is  dead."  Elder  Knapp  reached  out  both  arms,  placed 
one  hand  upon  each  minister  in  fatherly  compassion,  and 
exclaimed:  "Poor,  fatherless  children !"  He  sometimes  drew 
comparisons  which  were  not  complimentary  to  his  own  denom- 
ination. He  charged  certain  members  with  inconsistency  in 
their  doctrine  of  never  falling  from  grace  and  their  practice  of 
continually  so  doing;  whereas  the  Methodists  believed  infalling 
from  grace,  and  lived  up  to  it. 

Tothisday  the  widest  differences  of  opinion  prevail  astothe 
sincerity  and  true  Christian  character  of  Elder  Knapp.  Many 
of  his  fellow  citizens  believed  his  daily  life  was  quite  inconsistent 
with  the  higher  ideals  which  he  taught  from  the  pulpit ;  while 
others  considered  him  the  very  incarnation  of  godly  zeal ;  as  a 
veritable  John  the  Baptist,  warning  the  people  in  terms  of 
awful  grandeur  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  President 
Knott,  of  Union  college,  testified :  "Elder  Knapp  is  unequaled 
among  uninspired  men."  Dr.  Thomas  Armitage,  in  his  History 
of  the  Baptists,  says:  "The  writer  heard  him  preach  many 


144         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND   W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

times,  and  judged  him,  as  he  is  apt  to  judge  men,  more  by  his 
prayers  than  his  sermons,  for  he  was  a  man  of  much  prayer. 
His  appearance  in  the  pulpit  was  very  striking,  his  face  pale, 
his  skin  dark,  his  mouth  wide,  with  a  singular  cast  in  one  eye 
bordering  on  a  squint ;  he  was  full  of  native  wit,  almost  gest- 
ureless,  and  vehement  in  denunciation,  yet  so  cool  in  his 
deliberation  that  with  the  greatest  ease  he  gave  every  trying 
circumstance  its  appropriate  but  unexpected  turn."  Elder 
Knapp  died  March  3,  1874,  on  his  farm  north  of  Rockford,and 
was  buried  in  the  West  side  cemetery,  with  his  feet  toward  the 
west,  in  accordance  with  his  strange  request.  MissKittie  Sher- 
wood, his  granddaughter,  has  been  laboring  for  many  years  as 
a  home  missionary  among  the  colored  people  in  the  south. 
Elder  Knapp's  Autobiography  was  published  in  1868. 

The  immediate  successor  of  Elder  Knapp  was  Rev.  Ichabod 
Clark,  D.  D.  He  came  from  Galena,  Illinois,  in  July,  1849,  and 
labored  continuously  for  five  years.  Mrs.  Clark  died  September 
16, 1854.  Dr.  Clark  desired  a  change  of  scene  and  labor,  and 
November  5th  of  that  year  he  left  Rockford  to  engage  for  a 
time  as  superintendent  of  missions  for  the  Illinois  Baptist  Gen- 
eral Association.  During  his  absence  the  pulpit  was  regularly 
supplied  by  Rev.  Justin  A.  Smith,  D.  D.,  the  veteran  editor  of  the 
Standard,  the  Baptist  publication  in  Chicago.  In  August,  1855, 
Dr.  Clark  resumed  the  active  pastorate,  which  he  retained  until 
July,  1860.  This  was  the  longest  pastorate  in  the  history  of 
the  church.  Four  hundred  and  fifty-two  members  were  added 
to  the  enrollment,  of  whom  two  hundred  and  eleven  were  by 
baptism. 

The  stone  edifice  now  occupied  by  the  church  was  completed 
in  1850,  and  was  then  the  finest  church  building  in  the  village. 
The  dedicatory  sermon  was  preached  June  20th,  by  Rev.  JirahD. 
Cole,  before  the  Rock  River  Baptist  Association,  which  was  then 
in  session  with  the  church.  The  building  cost  six  thousand  dol- 
lars ;  the  total  cost  of  the  lots,  building  and  furniture  was  seven 
thousand  five  hundred  and  eleven  dollars  and  seventeen  cents. 
Among  the  prominent  pew-holders  were  William  Hulin,  Charles 
I.  Horsman,  J.  B.  Howell,  H.  W.  Loomis,  Daniel  Dow,  Isaac 
Andrus  and  John  Beattie.  Not  all  the  pew-holders  were  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  and  a  few  were  not  even  included  in  the 
congregation.  This  church  is  the  oldest  house  of  worship  in 
the  city.  Its  solid  walls  have  resisted  the  tooth  of  time  and  the 
fury  of  the  elements  for  a  full  half  century.  When  the  old  frame 


LICENTIATES  AND  CLERKS.  145 

church  was  vacated,  it  entered  upon  a  career  of  itineracy.  It 
was  sold  to  the  Unitarians,  who  removed  it  to  their  lot.  Still 
later  it  was  used  by  another  church,  and  for  secular  business 
before  it  was  torn  down. 

Revival  services  were  frequently  held  from  1850  until  Rev. 
Clark's  resignation.  In  1858  there  were  one  hundred  and  two 
baptisms.  June  6th  of  that  year  fifty -eight  received  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship.  This  year  the  church  reached  its  high-water 
mark.  After  fifteen  years  of  long  and  faithful  service,  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Haskell  adopted  Spiritualism,  and  severed  their  connec- 
tion with  the  church  in  1853  and  '54,  respectively. 

July  31,  1858,  letters  were  granted  to  thirty-four  members 
who  wished  to  organize  another  church  in  East  Rockford.  The 
New  Hampshire  confession  of  faith  was  adopted  by  the  First 
church  January  2,  1859.  When  Dr.  Clark  closed  his  pastorate 
in  1860,  the  church  had  a  membership  of  two  hundred  and 
seventy-seven.  When  he  came  to  Rockford  there  were  one 
hundred  and  sixty  Baptists  in  the  town ;  when  he  went  away 
there  were  three  hundred  and  fifty-seven.  Dr.  Clark  died  at 
Lockport,  Illinois,  in  1869,  and  was  buried  in  the  West  side 
cemetery. 

Several  members  of  the  church  were  licensed  to  preach. 
Among  these  was  Rev.  Samuel  Haskell,  a  nephew  of  Dr.  Haskell, 
to  whom  reference  was  made  in  Chapter  XXIII.  Mr.  Haskell 
went  from  Rockford  to  Suffield,  Connecticut,  where  he  prepared 
for  college.  In  1845  he  was  graduated  from  Brown  university, 
and  in  1847,  from  Hamilton  Theological  institution.  From 
1847  to  1852  he  was  pastor  of  the  First  church  in  Detroit, 
Michigan;  from  1852  to  1871  in  Kalamazoo,  and  from  1871 
to  1888  in  Ann  Arbor.  In  1866  he  was  president  of  the  Michi- 
gan State  Convention.  He  is  now  retired  from  the  pastorate, 
and  lives  in  Ypsilanti,  Michigan.  Other  licentiates  were  T. 
Adna  Orcott,  J.  P.  Curry,  T.  L.  Breckenridge,  J.  A.  Dobson, 
Volney  Powell,  and  George  Bornschlegel. 

Early  clerks  of  the  church  were:  George  Haskell,  M.  D., 
December  2,  1838,  to  November,  1844;  Duncan  Ferguson, 
November  2,  1844,  to  June,  1846;  Voluey  Powell,  June,  1846, 
to  June,  1847;  Duncan  Ferguson,  June,  1847,  to  March,  1848; 
Volney  Powell,  March,  1848,  to  October,  1853;  Giles  Mabie, 
December,  1853,  to  April,  1855;  Henry  Sears,  October,  1855, 
to  July,  1857;  O.  A.  Goodhue,  July,  1857,  to  September,  1858; 
S.  P. 'Crawford,  September,  1858,  to  October,  1862;  W.  G. 


146         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WIN  NEB  AGO  COUNTY. 

Ferguson,  October,  1862,  to  July,  1865;  Ahaz  Paxson,  July, 
1865,  to  November,  1866. 

Dr.  Clark  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Thomas  Kerr,  who  received 
a  call  immediately  after  the  resignation  of  his  predecessor.  Dr. 
Kerr  was  born  in  Aberdeen,  Scotland,  May  24, 1824.  He  received 
a  liberal  education  at  Gordon's  college  and  the  University  of 
Aberdeen.  The  latter  is  one  of  the  oldest  of  two  or  three  universi- 
ties in  Scotland.  Dr.  Kerr  has  a  brother  who  for  forty  years  was 
professorof  architecture  at  King's  college  in  London,  and  isnow 
professor  emeritus.  Dr.  Kerr  came  to  America  in  1844.  He 
arrived  in  New  York  September  1st.  While  in  that  city  he 
attended  a  winter's  course  of  scientific  lectures  in  Columbia  col- 
lege. In  1850  Dr.  Kerr  received  his  degree  in  medicine  at  the 
Iowa  state  university,  then  located  at  Davenport,  but  now  at 
DesMoines.  The  same  year  the  Doctor  began  the  practice  of 
medicine  at  Elgin,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  seven  years.  Dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  this  period  Dr.  Kerr  felt  constrained  to 
enter  the  ministry ;  and  in  June,  1857,  he  was  ordained  as  a 
Baptist  clergyman  at  Elgin,  by  the  Fox  River  Association. 
Among  those  who  officiated  at  his  ordination  was  Rev.  Charles 
Hill  Roe,  of  Belvidere,  an  honored  name  in  local  Baptist  history. 
Dr.  Kerr  became  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Dundee,  in 
Kane  county,  in  the  latter  part  of  1857.  During  this  pastorate 
he  continued  to  practice  medicine  at  Elgin,  as  he  found  he  could 
not  absolutely  retire  at  once  from  his  former  profession.  In  the 
autumn  of  1859  Dr.  Kerr  was  called  to  Waukegan ;  and  June 
1, 1860,  he  began  his  pastorate  in  Rockford. 

To  Dr.  Kerr  belongs  the  honor  of  preaching  the  first  war 
sermon  in  Rockford  after  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Sumter. 
Sunday  morning  the  news  came  that  President  Lincoln  had 
issued  a  call  for  seventy -five  thousand  men.  It  was  one  of  those 
critical  moments  in  the  nation's  life.  Under  its  solemn  inspi- 
ration, Dr.  Kerr  preached  an  impressive  patriotic  discourse  in 
the  afternoon  in  the  First  church,  and  for  the  first  time  in  local 
history  the  American  flag  was  displayed  from  the  pulpit.  Dr. 
Kerr  preached  the  first  funeral  discourse  over  a  dead  soldier, 
a  brother  of  Lucius  Day,  whose  remains  had  been  returned  to 
Rockford  for  burial.  These  memorial  services  were  held  in  the 
street  in  front  of  the  old  court  house. 

After  one  year's  service,  Dr.  Kerr  was  given  a  vacation  of 
three  months,  during  which  time  he  visited  Palestine.  In  1864 
Dr.  Kerr  was  a  member  of  the  Christian  Commission  for  three 


EXCLUSION  OF  DR.  KERR.  147 

weeks,  under  the  appointment  of  its  chairman,  George  H.Stuart. 
His  commission  was  signed  as  secretary  by  B.  F.  Jacobs,  the 
famous  Sunday-school  worker.  Upon  his  ret  urn  Dr.  Kerrraised 
several  hundred  dollars,  by  popular  lectures  on  his  observations 
at  the  front,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Christian  Commission  fund. 
Dr.  Kerr's  official  reports  were  highly  complimented  by  Chair- 
man Stuart.  These  appointments  of  clergymen  were  always  for 
a  short  time,  in  order  that  a  large  number  might  be  invited  to 
serve,  and  because  such  appointees  were  usually  in  charge  of 
their  own  local  fields. 

Dr.  Kerr's  first  Rockf  ord  pastorate  closed  November  1, 1866, 
when  he  was  called  to  Hannibal,  Missouri.  After  a  brief  pastorate 
by  Rev.  James  Lick,  D.  D.,  Dr.  Kerr  was  again  called  to  his 
old  charge  in  Rockford,  and  he  began  his  second  pastorate 
July  11,  1869.  His  discourses  were  not  considered  evangelical, 
and  he  was  charged  with  not  preaching  Baptist  doctrines.  Dr. 
Kerr  tendered  his  resignation  August  28,  1870.  In  October 
the  church  called  a  council.  This  council  met  on  the  14th, 
deposed  Dr.  Kerr  from  the  Baptist  ministry,  and  advised  the 
church  to  exclude  him  from  membership.  Upon  this  advice, 
Dr.  Kerr  and  forty-eight  members  were  excluded,  who,  though 
owning  the  larger  part  of  its  property,  left  the  church  undisturbed 
in  its  title  to,  and  possession  of  it.  With  his  friends,  Dr.  Kerr 
organized  the  Church  of  the  Christian  Union,  upon  abasis  of  lib- 
eral religious  thought.  It  is  now  the  oldest  independent  church 
of  its  kind  in  the  country;  and  preceded  by  five  years  a  similar 
movement  led  by  the  late  Prof.  David  Swing,  in  Chicago.  Dr. 
Kerr,  with  a  slight  intermission,  has  preached  in  Rockford 
nearly  forty  years.  American  church  history  records  compar- 
tively  few  parallels  of  such  long  service  in  one  community.  The 
career  of  Dr.  Kerr  after  his  radical  departure  and  of  his  church 
belongs  to  a  later  period  of  local  history. 

Dr.  Kerr  is  a  commanding  figure  and  a  strong  personality. 
His  presentations  of  religious  thought,  though  not  expressed 
in  evangelical  terms,  are  inspirational,  restful  and  spiritual ; 
and  enkindle  a  spirit  of  reverence  in  responsive  hearts.  The 
question  as  to  whether  essential  Christianity  can  be  permanently 
maintained  in  the  hearts  of  men,  apart  from  the  historic  and 
personal  Christ,  is  the  fundamental  point  at  issue  between  evan- 
gelical and  liberal  Christianity;  and  upon  this  question  the 
latter  is  on  trial  for  its  life. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

VILLAGE  INCORPORATED.— LAND  SALE. —FIRST  TEMPERANCE  CLUB. 

F^ARLY  in  1839  the  little  village  aspired  to  the  dignity  of  an 
L  incorporated  town.  The  general  law  of  1831  provided  that 
"whenever  the  white  males  over  the  age  of  twenty-one  years, 
being  residents  of  any  town  in  this  state,  containing  not  less 
than  one  hundred  aud  fifty  inhabitants,  shall  wish  to  become 
incorporated  for  the  better  regulation  of  their  internal  police," 
it  should  be  lawful  for  them  to  do  so.  The  ambition  of  the 
village  was  sustained  by  the  required  population. 

A  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Rockford  was  held,  pursuant  to 
public  notice,  at  the  Rockford  House,  April  1,  1839.  David 
Goodrich  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  James  Mitchell  was  chosen 
clerk.  It  was  resolved  that  the  two  villages  of  Rockford,  east 
and  west  sides  of  Rock  river,  be  incorporated  into  one  town. 
Committees  were  appointed  to  ascertain  the  number  of  inhabi- 
tants within  the  prescribed  boundaries  of  Rockford ;  to  draft  an 
act  of  incorporation  for  the  town;  and  to  confer  with  Mr. 
Brinckerhoff  concerning  free  ferriage  for  the  citizens  of  the 
county. 

An  adjourned  meeting  was  held  April  3d,  but  no  business 
was  transacted.  A  second  adjourned  meeting  was  held  on  the 
following  evening.  The  committee  on  census  reported  that 
the  number  of  inhabitants  was  two  hundred  and  thirty-five. 
The  committee  appointed  to  confer  with  Mr.  Brinckerhoff  made 
a  report  to  the  effect  that  he  would  furnish  free  ferriage  to  the 
citizens  of  the  county  on  condition  that  the  trustees  of  the  town 
would  remunerate  him,  at  the  close  of  each  year,  with  such  sum 
as  a  committee  of  three  should  determine,  after  ascertaining 
the  receipts  and  expenses  of  the  ferriage.  One  member  of  the 
committee  was  to  be  chosen  by  the  trustees,  another  by  Mr. 
Brinckerhoff,  and  these  two  were  to  appoint  a  third.  At  this 
meeting,  by  a  two-thirds  vote,  as  required  by  law,  the  town 
was  incorporated.  An  election  for  five  trustees  was  held  April 
10th.  There  were  chosen  Dr.  Goodhue,  Daniel  S.  Haight,  Sam- 
uel Little,  Ephraim  Wyman  and  Isaiah  Lyon. 


THE  TOWN  ONE  MILE  SQUARE.  149 

The  statute  provided  that  the  boundaries  of  a  town  incor- 
porated under  its  provisions  should  not  exceed  one  mile  square. 
The  trustees  restricted  the  limits  as  thus  prescribed  by  the  law. 
They  organized  by  the  election  of  Daniel  S.  Haight,  president ; 
Anson  Barnum,  clerk;  John  C.  Kemble,  attorney.  Isaiah Ly on 
was  elected  collector  and  treasurer;  Henry  Thurston,  assessor 
for  the  first  district ;  John  Haskell,  for  the  second ;  Nathaniel 
Wilder  for  the  third ;  S.  D.  Preston,  for  the  fourth. 

Rockford  continued  its  simple  municipal  life  under  this  sys- 
tem until  January,  1852.  These  years  were  quite  uneventful, 
so  far  as  municipal  affairs  were  concerned.  The  complete  rec- 
ords of  the  proceedings  of  the  board  of  trustees  for  those  twelve 
years  are  contained  in  a  single  small  volume.  This  book  is  well 
preserved,  in  the  office  of  the  city  clerk.  Routine  business  occu- 
pied the  almost  exclusive  attention  of  the  board;  and  frequently 
less  than  a  page  is  required  to  record  its  proceedings. 

The  lands  in  Winnebago  county  did  not  come  into  market 
until  the  autumn  of  1839.  The  lands  in  Rockford  and  Rockton 
townships  were  not  offered  for  sale  until  1843,  by  reason  of  the 
famous  "Polish  claims,"  which  will  be  considered  in  detail  in  a 
subsequent  chapter.  The  land  office  for  this  district  in  1839 
was  at  Galena.  The  opening  of  the  lands  to  sale  and  entry  in 
that  year  was  an  interesting  event  to  the  settlers  of  Winuebago 
county.  Some  of  them  had  their  farms  well  under  cultivation, 
and  had  raised  a  sufficient  surplus,  so  that  they  were  able  to 
secure  their  farms  when  the  sale  began .  The  uniform  govern- 
ment price  for  land  was  ten  shillings  an  acre.  Speculators  were 
always  around  the  land  office  on  days  of  sale,  waiting  for  the 
first  chance  to  make  a  claim.  A  common  interest  bound  the 
settlers  together,  and  they  usually  maintained  their  rights  in 
equity  against  the  sharp  practices  of  the  land  sharks. 

Many  of  the  settlers,  however,  did  not  possess  ready  money. 
Stock  and  grain  had  become  plenty  by  this  time,  but  they 
could  not  be  sold  for  cash.  Money  at  one  time  commanded 
thirty  per  cent.  Some  of  the  farmers  had  their  claims  bid  in  on 
shares.  Lands  were  also  bid  in  by  men  who  had  money,  on 
condition  that  their  advances  should  double  in  three  years — 
thirty-three  and  one-third  per  cent,  interest ;  the  money-loaner 
furnished  the  money,  and  gave  a  bond  to  the  claimant  to 
redeem  at  the  expiration  of  three  years,  if  the  money  should 
be  paid  on  or  before  that  day.  The  money-loaner  supposed  his 


150         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

title  was  good,  as  it  was  entered  in  his  own  name,  and  paid  for 
in  full  with  his  money.  It  was  decided  otherwise,  however,  by 
the  supreme  court,  which  treated  it  as  a  mortgage.  There  was 
much  litigation  on  this  point. 

The  Aberdeen  Bank  of  Scotland  purchased  large  tracts  of  land 
in  1839,  in  McHenry,  Winnebago  and  Boone  counties.  There 
were  purchased  four  thousand  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  in 
Boone  county  alone.  Mr.  Taylor,  the  agent  of  the  bank,  a  short 
time  after  he  made  the  entry,  went  down  the  Mississippi  river  on 
the  steamboat  "War  Eagle,"  and  when  near  St.  Louis,  he  was 
drowned  by  falling  from  the  boat.  It  has  been  said  he  leaped 
into  the  river;  but  there  is  no  known  reason  to  justify  a  suspic- 
ion of  suicide. 

Reference  was  made  in  a  preceding  chapter  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  temperance  society,  July  4,  1837.  H.  B.  Potter  was 
chosen  president,  and  M.  W.  Allen,  secretary.  The  first  annual 
meeting  was  held  July  4,  1838,  at  Winnebago.  Rev.  Hiram 
Foote  delivered  an  address.  E.  H.  Potter  was  chosen  president, 
and  Horace  Foote,  secretary.  The  second  annual  meeting  was 
held  in  West  Rockford,  July  4,  1839.  Prayer  was  offered  by 
Rev.  John  Morrill,  and  an  address  was  given  by  Rev.  Cyrus  L. 
Watson.  The  pledge  was  circulated  and  sixty-one  names  were 
secured,  which  made  the  total  membership  one  hundred  and 
sixty-eight.  Among  the  members  during  the  first  three  years 
were  H.  B.  Potter,  Germanicus  Kent,  Samuel  Haskell,  Israel 
Morrill,  I.  P.  Bartlett,  Samuel  Gregory,  I.  M.  Johnson,  George 
Haskell,  John  Emerson,  James  M.  Wight,  Dr.  J.  C.  Goodhue. 

February  22,  1840,  it  was  resolved :  "That  this  society  has 
learned  with  concern,  and  deep  regret,  that  several  distilleries 
are  about  being  erected  in  this  and  the  neighboring  counties,  by 
means  of  which  we  are  led  to  fear  and  believe  a  large  proportion 
of  our  surplus  produce  is  to  be  rendered  worse  than  useless; 
that  the  kindest  gifts  of  Providence  will  by  this  means  be  trans- 
formed into  the  worst  of  evils." 

The  records  of  this  first  temperance  society  are  preserved 
in  good  condition,  in  possession  of  Mrs.  Harriott  Wight  Sher- 
ratt.  The  last  entry  was  made  in  April,  1842,  by  James  M. 
Wight,  secretary. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

ROCKFORD  CEMETERIES. 

rOUR  sites  have  been  used  in  West  Rockford  for  the  purpose 
of  a  cemetery.  The  first  burial  in  the  village  of  Rockford 
was  that  of  Henry  Harmon,  who  was  drowned  at  the  ferry  in 
Rock  river  April  7, 1837,  on  block  thirty-five  of  J.  W.  Leavitt's 
plat  of  the  original  town  of  West  Rockford.  The  Commercial 
Hotel,  South  Church  street,  is  on  the  southeast  corner  of  this 
block.  The  second  interment  was  of  the  body  of  Sarah  Kent,  a 
daughter  of  Germanicus  Kent,  upon  the  same  block,  in  1837. 
These  were  followed  by  the  burials  of  Addison  Phillips,  who 
accidentally  shot  himself  in  March,  1839,  and  John  Haskell,  a 
brother  of  Dr.  George  Haskell,  also  in  that  year.  Mrs.  James 
Mitchell  and  some  others  were  buried  upon  block  thirty-five, 
which  was  the  only  place  of  interment  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river  until  about  1840.  The  proprietors  of  that  portion  of  the 
town  west  of  the  section  line  dividing  sections  twenty-two  and 
twenty-three,  then  gave  to  the  citizens  of  West  Rockford  a  plat 
of  ground  for  cemetery  purposes  corresponding  to  block  fifty- 
three  in  Morgan  and  Horsman's  Addition  to  the  city  of  Rock- 
ford,  on  the  south  side  of  State  street.  This  block  now  includes 
the  estate  of  Dr.  C.  H.  Richings.  Mrs.  Montague,  wife  of  Rich- 
ard Montague,  was  the  first  person  buried  in  this  ground.  She 
died  February  17, 1842.  From  that  time  this  plat  of  ground 
continued  to  be  the  place  of  burial  until  1844.  The  original 
proprietors  of  the  town,  by  an  agreement  with  the  citizens, 
exchanged  this  place  of  burial  for  a  site  corresponding  to  what 
would  have  been  blocks  thirty-seven  and  forty-eight  of  the 
original  plat,  on  the  north  bank  of  Kent's  creek.  This  tract 
corresponds  with  the  switch-yards,  roundhouse  and  stock- 
yards of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad .  The  bodies 
were  removed  from  the  cemetery  near  State  street  and  reburied 
in  the  new  grounds.  In  the  year  1844  the  citizens,  after  several 
meetings,  organized  an  association,  and  in  February,  1845, 
they  obtained  a  charter  incorporating  the  Rockford  Cemetery 
Association.  Under  this  charter  they  elected  their  trustees  and 


153         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

other  officers,  and  kept  up  the  organization  in  accordance  with 
all  the  provisions  of  the  act.  The  first  trustees  named  in  this 
charter  were  John  W.  Taylor,  Ephraim  Wyman,  Cyrus  F. 
Miller,  Richard  Montague  and  Benjamin  Kilburn. 

From  1844  to  1852  this  site  remained  the  place  of  burial 
for  the  Rockford  Cemetery  Association.  During  this  time  the 
number  of  graves  had  increased  to  about  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five.  The  bodies 'that  had  been  buried  on  block  thirty- 
five  remained  there  until  1852. 

The  extension  of  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  railroad  to 
West  Rockford  again  made  it  necessary  for  the  Association  to 
remove  its  cemetery,  as  the  grounds  had  been  selected  by  the 
railroad  company  as  the  site  for  its  depot.  A  portion  of  this 
tract  was  condemned  by  the  company  for  this  purpose.  The 
Association  thereupon  made  arrangements  with  the  railroad 
company  for  the  sale  of  the  entire  property,  except  seventy  feet 
fronting  on  Cedar  street.  The  company  paid  the  Association 
one  thousand  and  nine  hundred  dollars.  The  frontage  of  seventy 
feet  on  Cedar  street  was  subdivided  into  twelve  lots,  and  sold  to 
different  persons  for  three  thousand  eight  hundred  and  twelve 
dollars  and  twelve  cents. 

In  April,  1852,  the  trustees  took  measures  to  procure  a 
new  charter  for  their  more  extended  needs.  In  the  following 
May  the  Association  purchased  of  Charles  Reed,  George  Haskell 
and  Nathaniel  Wilder,  the  present  cemetery  grounds.  This  tract 
contained  thirty-three  acres,  for  which  the  Association  paid 
twelve  hundred  dollars.  On  the  29th  of  May,  1852,  the  Asso- 
ciation made  a  contract  with  David  D.  Ailing  to  remove  all  the 
bodies  in  the  original  place  of  burial  on  block  thirty-five,  and 
those  in  the  later  cemetery. 

At  the  special  session  of  the  legislature  in  June,  1852,  the 
Association  obtained  a  new  act  of  incorporation.  The  sum 
realized  from  the  sale  of  its  former  property  left  a  good  margin 
after  the  later  purchase.  Quite  extensive  improvements  were 
made  with  a  portion  of  this  reserve.  This  cemetery  is  a  beau- 
ful  spot  in  summer,  well  kept,  and  contains  many  splendid 
monuments.  One  of  the  most  noticeable  is  the  plain  granite 
shaft  over  the  grave  of  Hon.  Ephraim  Sumner.  The  granite 
was  quarried  at  Barre,  Vermont.  The  height  of  the  base  and 
shaft  is  forty  feet,  and  the  weight  is  twenty  tons.  This  monu- 
ment was  put  up  in  1894. 

At  an  early  date  Daniel  S.  Haight  appropriated  an  acre  of 


CEDAR  BLUFF  CEMETERY.  153 

ground  for  a  cemetery  on  the  East  side.  It  was  situated  on 
the  east  side  of  Longwood  street,  about  ten  rods  north  of 
State.  The  ground  was  open  prairie.  There  was  no  shade  from 
the  summer  sun,  and  the  wintry  winds  intensified  its  desolation. 

An  act  approved  February  18, 1847,  provided  for  the  incor- 
poration of  the  Cedar  Bluff  Cemetery  Association.  E.  H.  Potter, 
Willard  Wheeler,  Bela  Shaw,  Selden  M.  Church,  Hollis  H.  Holmes 
and  Lucius  Clark  and  their  successors  were  made  a  body  politic 
and  corporate  for  this  purpose.  The  Association  was  not  fully 
organized ,  however,  until  November  28,  1851.  Twelve  acres 
in  section  twenty-three  were  purchased  from  Bela  Shaw,  for  four 
hundred  dollars,  subject  to  the  dower  of  Rebecca  Shaw.  The 
tract  was  surveyed  by  Duncan  Ferguson,  April  3,  1853.  It 
remained  the  only  burying-ground  on  the  East  side  until  the 
organization  of  the  Scandinavian  Cemetery  Association. 

Love  that  survives  the  tomb  has  been  called  the  purest 
attribute  of  the  soul.  This  love  finds  an  expression  in  the  mon- 
uments erected  over  the  graves  of  the  dead.  Moreover,  the 
cemeteries  of  a  people  are  in  a  measure  an  index  of  their  relig- 
ious hope.  The  funerals  of  today  have  less  of  the  gruesomeness 
that  characterized  such  occasions  thirty  years  ago.  Likewise, 
our  cemeteries  have  been  made  more  beautiful  by  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  artistic  sense,  and  by  a  deeper  realization  of  the 
truth  that  death  is  but  the  doorway  to  a  ''freer  air  and  a 
broader  view,"  and  an  infinite  expansion  of  sanctified  power. 
The  cemeteries  of  Rockford  are  worthy  of  the  character  of  its 
people. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE  SEVEN  YEARS'  WAR  OVER  THE  SITE  OF  THE  COUNTY  SEAT. 

THE  attempt  in  1836  to  locate  the  county  seat  had  proven 
a  failure.  The  county  business  had  been  transacted  in  the 
meantime  in  various  places  in  the  village.  The  proprietors  of 
Winnebago  did  not  consider  the  refusal  of  their  deed  of  cession 
to  the  county,  noted  in  Chapter  XII.,  as  a  finality.  On  that  very 
day  began  the  famous  controversy  over  the  location  of  the 
county  seat,  which  was  continued  for  seven  years  with  great 
spirit,  and  not  a  little  bitterness  on  all  sides.  The  proprietors 
of  Winnebago  had  expended  considerable  money  in  their  town 
plat,  and  they  were  anxious  to  have  the  county  buildings  com- 
menced at  once,  and  thus  settle  the  question.  A  favorable 
decision  would  insure  increased  value  and  ready  sales  of  their 
town  lots.  On  the  other  hand,  the  county  commissioners 
opposed  the  site  of  Winnebago,  and  placed  every  obstacle  in 
the  way  of  such  location.  Various  propositions  were  made  by 
the  proprietors  during  this  and  the  succeeding  year  to  induce 
the  commissioners  to  take  some  action  that  would  secure  them 
in  the  location  that  had  been  previously  made.  All  these  over- 
tures were  either  refused  or  evaded.  The  persistent  refusal  of 
the  county  commissioners  led  to  state  legislation. 

By  an  act  of  the  general  assembly,  approved  March  2, 1839, 
the  question  was  submitted  to  a  popular  vote.  It  was  made 
the  duty  of  the  clerk  of  the  county  commissioners'  court  to  give 
notice  of  an  election  to  be  held  on  the  first  Monday  in  May, 
1839.  The  law  provided  that  if  it  should  appear  that  within 
one  hundred  of  a  majority  of  all  the  votes  cast  were  in  favor  of 
the  town  of  Winnebago,  that  town  should  remain  the  perma- 
nent county  seat.  But  if  any  other  place,  after  the  first  election, 
should  receive  a  majority  of  all  the  votes  given,  such  place 
should  be  the  seat  of  justice.  If  more  than  two  places  received 
votes,  and  no  one  place  received  a  majority,  there  should  be  an 
election  held  on  the  first  Monday  of  each  succeeding  month, 
dropping  off  at  each  election,  the  place  receiving  the  smallest 
number  of  votes,  until  some  one  place  should  receivea  majority 
of  all  the  votes  polled. 


SIX  ASPIRANTS  FOR  COURT  HOUSE.  155 

These  provisions  gave  Winnebago  a  decided  advantage; 
but  even  then  the  town  was  unable  to  win  the  prize.  At  the 
election  six  aspirants  received  votes,  as  follows :  Rockford,  three 
hundred  and  twenty ;  Winnebago,  seventy-five ;  Roscoe,  two ; 
Willow  Creek,  five ;  Pecatonica,  one ;  Scipio,  one.  Total  vote 
cast,  four  hundred  and  four,  of  which  Rockford  had  a  majority 
over  all  of  two  hundred  and  thirty-six.  In  commenting  on  this 
election,  the  late  Judge  Church  said :  "Whether  there  was  any 
Osawattomie  [evidently  another  form  of  the  word  Pottawat- 
omie]  voting  at  that  election,  I  am  unable  to  say,  but  one  thing 
is  certain :  there  were  two  hundred  more  votes  polled  than  at 
the  general  election  in  August  following." 

The  prospective  village  of  Winnebago  reached  the  highest 
point  of  all  its  greatness  on  the  day  when  its  ambitious  claims 
were  rejected  by  the  county  commissioners'  court.  Like  Cardi- 
nal Wolsey,  it  fell  like  a  bright  exhalation  in  the  evening. 
From  that  time  it  began  to  decline.  In  April,  1844,  many  of 
the  lots  were  sold  by  the  sheriff  to  satisfy  delinquent  taxes ;  and 
in  1847  the  plat  was  vacated  by  a  special  act  of  the  legislature. 

Some  years  later  Mrs.  Campbell,  widow  of  Major  Campbell, 
by  her  attorney,  appeared  in  Rockford,  and  made  a  claim  for 
dower  interest,  on  the  ground  that  when  her  husband  took 
the  benefit  of  the  bankrupt  law,  he  assigned  his  interest  in  the 
Winnebago  village  property  without  her  consent.  Some  were 
intimidated  into  paying  these  claims;  and  others  successfully 
contested  them. 

Charles  Reed  was  an  excellent  judge  of  land,  and  traveled 
from  Fox  river  to  Apple  river,  selecting  and  making  claims. 
Mr.  Reed  was  a  native  of  Virginia.  He  served  in  the  war  of 
1812,  and  was  taken  prisoner  at  Detroit,  when  Hull  surren- 
dered. He  again  enlisted,  and  was  in  the  battle  of  the  Thames, 
when  Tecumseh  was  killed.  Mr.  Reed  first  settled  in  Illinois  at 
Joliet.  He  was  one  of  the  commissioners  to  locate  the  county 
seat  of  Ogle  county  in  1836.  Mr.  Reed  was  influential  in  secur- 
ing the  passage  of  the  act  for  the  organization  of  Winnebago 
county.  From  Winnebago  village  he  removed  to  Rockton, 
where  he  died  August  26, 1863,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years. 
Mr.  Reed  was  highly  esteemed  as  a  citizen,  neighbor  and  friend. 

In  pursuance  of  the  popular  vote  in  favor  of  Rockford,  the 
county  commissioners,  on  June  8,  1839,  selected  the  public 
square  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  as  the  site  for  the  court 
house.  Anson  Barnum  and  Daniel  S.  Haight  were  authorized 


156          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

to  accept  stone  and  other  building  material.  A  large  quantity 
of  brick  and  lumber  was  contributed  by  the  citizens.  This 
material  remained  on  the  public  square  fora  longtime,  because 
the  county  had  no  money  to  continue  the  work.  At  a  special 
session  held  June  17,  the  court  selected  the  southeast  corner  of 
block  nine  as  a  site  for  a  jail.  This  is  the  site  now  occupied  by 
the  Rockford  Gas  Light  and  Coke  Company.  No  jail,  however, 
was  built  upon  that  location. 

At  the  session  of  September  28,  1841,  a  proposition  was 
submitted  to  the  commissioners'  court,  to  furnish  a  suitable 
jail  and  quarters  for  the  county  offices  in  West  Rockford  until 
permanent  buildings  could  be  constructed.  This  proposal 
was  signed  by  Messrs.  George  Haskell,  Charles  I.  Horsman, 
Abiram  Morgan,  John  W.  Taylor,  David  D.  Ailing,  Nathaniel 
Loomis,  Ephraim  Wyman,  Horatio  Nelson,  Derastus  Harper 
and  Isaiah  Lyon.  Upon  executing  a  bond  in  the  penal  sum 
of  one  thousand  dollars,  this  proposition  was  accepted.  Decem- 
ber llth  these  gentlemen  reported  to  the  commissioners'  court 
that  the  building  for  the  county  offices  was  ready  for  use,  and 
the  same  was  accepted  by  the  court.  This  was  a  frame  struct- 
ure on  the  southwest  corner  of  Main  and  Chestnut  streets, 
opposite  the  Hotel  Nelson.  This  building  was  occupied  by  the 
court  until  a  court  house  was  built,  and  only  recently  torn  down 
to  make  room  for  a  brick  block.  The  donors,  at  this  December 
session,  were  given  an  extension  of  five  months  to  complete  the 
jail.  This  was  a  log  structure,  about  twelve  feet  square,  with 
plank  door,  and  window  barred  with  irons  set  into  the  logs 
above  and  below.  It  stood  east  of  the  present  court  house,  in 
the  same  block.  Whenever  a  desperate  character  was  confined 
therein  it  was  necessary  to  station  a  guard.  Previous  to  the 
erection  of  this  primitive  prison,  the  nearest  jail  was  at  Galena. 
When  I.  N.  Cunningham  was  sheriff,  he  owned  a  substantially 
built  house  a  short  distance  from  town,  and  his  brother  William 
once  prevented  a  prisoner  from  escaping  at  night  by  fastening 
one  end  of  a  chain  to  his  ankle  and  the  other  to  the  ankle  of 
the  prisoner,  and  both  were  secured  to  the  strong  puncheon 
floor.  Sixty  years  ago  William  Cunningham  was  a  dangerous 
man  to  resist.  The  old  log  jail  did  duty  after  a  fashion  until 
the  brick  jail  was  completed. 

About  this  time  a  controversy  arose  concerning  the  precise 
meaning  of  the  statute  under  which  the  election  of  May,  1839, 
had  been  held.  That  portion  of  the  third  section  of  the  law 


OPINIONS  OF  THE  ROCK  FORD  BAR.  157 

enclosed  in  parenthesis  was  ambiguous.  The  point  at  issue 
was  whether  the  law  actually  authorized  an  election  to  select  a 
seat  of  justice,  or  merely  to  decide  the  general  question  of  remo- 
val. This  question  was  before  the  commissioners'  court  at  its 
September  session  in  1841.  Each  commissioner  held  a  different 
opinion.  William  Hulin  held  that  the  county  seat  had  been 
removed  from  Winnebago,  but  had  never  been  relocated.  Ezra 
S.  Cable  maintained  that  all  the  provisions  of  the  law  had  not 
been  complied  with,  and  therefore  the  county  seat  remained  as 
originally  located.  William  E.  Dunbar  believed  the  county  seat 
had  been  actually  removed  to  Rockford.  This  deadlock  must 
be  broken  before  progress  was  possible.  May  10,  1842,  the 
commissioners'  court  requested  the  bar  of  the  city  to  submit 
opinions  in  writing  concerning  the  legal  effect  of  the  popular 
vote.  Opinions  were  prepared  by  Anson  S.  Miller,  Francis  Bur- 
nap,  Thomas  D.  Robertson,  JamesM.  Wight  and  Jason  Marsh. 
Mr.  Miller's  opinion  was  quite  elaborate.  The  attorneys  were 
unanimous  in  the  opinion  that  the  county  seat  had  been  changed 
from  Winnebago  to  Rockford,  in  accordance  with  the  evident 
intent  of  the  law.  At  the  session  of  July,  1842,  the  commis- 
sioners' court  authorized  the  judges  of  election  in  the  several 
precincts  to  take  the  sense  of  the  voters  at  the  August  election 
on  the  question  whether  the  county  buildings  should  be  perma- 
nently located  in  East  or  West  Rockford.  Several  precincts  did 
not  vote  on  the  question ;  but  the  general  result  was  favorable 
to  the  West  side,  inasmuch  as  the  temporary  location  of  the 
county  offices  on  that  side  had  already  given  it  a  degree  of 
prestige.  This  vote  had  no  legal  effect,  however,  because  the 
law  had  given  the  commissioners'  court  full  power  in  the  prem- 
ises. But  it  did  have  a  certain  persuasive  influence. 

In  April,  1843,  Daniel  S.  Haight,  E.  H.  Potter,  Hollis  H. 
Holmes,  Laomi  Peake,  Daniel  Howell  and  John  A.  Brown,  of 
the  East  side,  submitted  a  proposition  to  the  county  commis- 
sioners to  build  a  court  house  and  jail,  to  cost  four  thousand 
dollars.  This  proposal  was  considered,  but  complications  pre- 
vented its  acceptance.  A  few  days  later,  April  22d.  citizens  of 
West  Rockford  made  a  similar  proposition.  On  condition  that 
the  commissioners  select  the  site  on  the  West  side,  the  citizens 
agreed  to  erect  such  buildings  as  the  county  commissioners 
should  direct,  and  according  to  such  plan  and  finish  as  the  com- 
missioners should  furnish  for  a  court  house,  county  offices  and 
jail,  the  said  buildings  to  be  commenced  before  the  first  day  of 


158  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

June  next,  and  the  jail  to  be  finished  before  the  first  day  of 
January,  1844.  The  remainder  of  the  said  buildings  were  to 
be  finished  by  the  first  day  of  November,  1844.  The  donors  were 
to  perfect  and  convey  to  the  county  a  good  title  to  the  land  on 
which  the  said  buildings  should  stand,  to  the  amount  of  two 
and  a  half  acres.  This  proposition  was  signed  by  Messrs. 
George  Haskell,  Charles  I.  Horsman,  H.  W.  Loomis,  M.  Burner, 
Charles  Hall,  Thomas  D.  Robertson,  George  W.  Dewey,  David 
D.  Ailing,  H.  R.  Maynard,  Alden  Thomas,  S.  Skinner,  George 
Barrows,  John  Fisher,  Derastus  Harper,  Daniel  Dow. 

Nothing  had  been  done  on  the  East  side  toward  erecting 
county  buildings  with  the  material  which  had  been  contributed ; 
and  the  proposition  from  the  West  side  citizens  was  accepted, 
with  five  conditions.  These  were :  first,  that  security  be  given  to 
the  acceptance  of  the  commissioners  or  any  two  of  them,  in  term 
time  or  vacation  within  twenty  days;  second,  that  the  security 
be  a  bond  for  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  the  buildings  be 
worth  not  less  than  six  thousand  dollars ;  third,  that  said  bond 
be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  clerk  of  the  court  within  three 
days  from  its  acceptance ;  fourth,  that  the  subscribers  to  the 
proposition,  or  a  majority  of  them,  enter  into  a  contract  in 
writing  within  twenty  days  to  erect  the  buildings  as  offered  in 
their  proposition;  fifth,  that  the  contract  be  placed  inthehands 
of  the  clerk  of  the  court  within  three  days  from  its  approval. 
The  commissioners  ordered  that  block  twenty-five  in  West  Rock- 
ford  be  the  site  of  the  buildings. 

Thus  closed  a  contest  which  had  continued  for  seven  years. 
An  opinion  prevails  to  this  day  that  the  cession  of  the  mile-strip 
to  Boone  county  insured  the  location  of  the  county  buildings 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river ;  and  that  the  voters  on  the  strip, 
if  they  had  remained  in  this  county,  would  have  held  the  balance 
of  power,  which  would  have  been  exercised  in  theelection  of  two 
commissioners  from  the  east  side  of  the  river.  The  official  rec- 
ords are  clearly  against  this  tradition.  The  county  seat  was 
permanently  located  in  April,  1843 ;  whereas,  the  election  on 
the  mile-strip  did  not  occur  until  the  following  month.  The 
result  was  due  to  a  single  citizen.  William  Hulin  was  elected  a 
county  commissioner  in  1841,  while  a  resident  of  Rockton,  on 
the  east  side  of  the  river.  During  his  term  of  office  he  removed 
to  West  Rockford.  Mr.  Hulin's  friends  claim  that  his  sympa- 
thies were  always  with  the  West  side;  while  others  maintain 
that  this  change  of  residence  was  quite  naturally  followed  by  a 


AN  ERRONEOUS  TRADITION.  159 

change  of  sectional  preference,  in  either  event,  Mr.  Hulingave 
the  casting  vote  in  favor  of  the  West  side. 

It  is  quite  certain,  however,  that  the  cession  of  the  mile-strip 
had  been  regarded  with  favor  for  years  by  the  citizens  of  the 
western  part  of  the  county.  It  is  even  alleged  that  the  scheme 
was  deliberately  planned  in  West  Rockford,  to  reduce  the  vot- 
ing strength  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  The  citizens  on  the 
strip  petitioned  the  legislature  to  be  annexed  to  Boone;  and  as 
early  as  December  24, 1840,  a  bill  was  introduced  in  the  senate, 
for  a  change  in  the  boundary  line  of  Boone  county.  December 
30th,  the  bill  was  read  the  third  time  and  passed.  The  bill  came 
before  the  house  January  13,  1841.  It  was  subsequently 
amended  and  referred  to  a  select  committee.  The  Rock  River 
Express  of  January  16,  1841,  published  a  brief  but  vigorous 
protest  against  the  proposed  cession.  The  bill,  however,  was 
lost.  Had  it  passed  that  session,  it  would  doubtless  have  had 
its  influence  in  the  contest  over  the  county  seat.  But  the  bill 
did  not  become  a  law  until  two  years  later.  In  the  meantime 
the  question  had  been  settled  in  a  different  manner. 

The  brick  jail  was  completed  and  occupied  January  1,  1844. 
The  court  house  was  finished  in  July  of  the  same  year,  and  was 
accepted  by  the  county  commissioners.  Derastus  Harper  and 
John  Beattie  were  the  architects.  It  was  one  story,  about  fifty- 
six  feet  long,  thirty-five  feet  in  width,  and  seventeen  feet  high. 
The  court  room  was  fifty-four  by  thirty-three  feet ;  nine  feet  in 
the  rear  of  the  bench  was  partitioned  off  into  jury  rooms.  Two 
rows  of  slips  made  in  the  style  of  those  erected  in  the  churches, 
filled  the  room  outside  the  bar,  and  accommodated  three  hun- 
dred persons.  The  entire  edifice,  including  the  pediment  and 
four  fluted  columns  in  front,  was  built  in  the  Grecian  Doric 
order  of  architecture.  The  public  square,  jail  and  court  house 
were  furnished  by  the  citizens  of  West  Rockford  without  the 
outlay  of  a  dollar  by  the  county.  The  stone  building  in  which 
the  county  records  were  kept,  was  built  in  1851.  All  these 
buildings  have  been  removed  from  the  square. 

The  first  term  of  court  held  in  the  new  building  was  in 
August,  1844.  The  presiding  judge  was  Thomas  C.  Brown; 
James  Mitchell,  clerk;  G.  A.  Sanford,  sheriff.  Many  bright 
stars  in  the  legal  firmament  of  that  day  practiced  in  Winnebago 
county.  Belvidere,  Freeport,  Galena  and  Chicago  sent  their 
best  talent.  The  famous  "Mat."  Carpenter,  of  Wisconsin,  came 
to  Rockford  on  professional  business  half  a  century  ago. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

PLAN  OF  SECESSION  AND  PROPOSED  ANNEXATION  TO  WISCONSIN. 

SIXTY  years  ago  Winnebago  county  figured  prominently  in 
a  movement  of  secession  from  Illinois,  for  the  purpose  of 
annexation  to  Wisconsin.  The  few  surviving  settlers  of  northern 
Illinois  will  recall  the  prolonged  controversy  over  the  northern 
boundary  of  the  state.  This  agitation  covered  the  entire  period 
between  the  admission  of  Illinois  in  1818,  and  the  admission  of 
Wisconsin  thirty  years  later.  The  story  forms  one  of  the  most 
interesting  chapters  in  the  history  of  the  commonwealth.  The 
final  adjustment  is  a  perpetual  witness  to  the  prophetic  genius 
of  Nathaniel  Pope,  the  territorial  representative  of  Illinois  in 
congress.  In  the  light  of  subsequent  history,  it  was  nothing 
less  than  genius  that  enabled  this  man,  alone  and  unchallenged, 
to  add  fifty  miles  to  the  northern  boundary  of  Illinois;  and 
thus  make  her,  with  her  commercial  metropolis  on  the  lake 
front,  the  keystone  in  the  magnificent  arch  of  great  western 
states.  As  a  statesman  and  patriot,  Nathaniel  Pope  is  worthy 
to  be  placed  at  the  head  of  the  illustrious  column  which  includes 
Lincoln,  Douglas,  Grant,  Yates  and  Logan. 

This  movement  was  widespread,  and  the  feeling  at  times 
was  intense,  and  even  bitter.  The  war  cry  of  "fifty-four  forty 
or  fight"  did  not  more  thoroughly  arouse  the  enthusiastic 
Democracy  over  the  Oregon  boundary  line  fifty-six  years  ago, 
than  did  this  inter-state  controversy  enkindle  the  sectional 
prejudices  of  the  settlers  in  the  disputed  territory.  The  village 
of  Rockford  played  quite  a  part  in  this  struggle.  There  was 
brought  to  light  in  this  city  about  a  year  ago  a  copy  of  the 
official  proceedings  of  a  mass  meeting  held  in  Rockford  July  6, 
1840.  This  convention  was  composed  of  delegates  from  the 
northern  fourteen  counties  of  the  state.  Its  purpose  was  seces- 
sion from  Illinois  and  annexation  to  the  proposed  new  state  of 
Wisconsin. 

History  has  never  fully  explained  the  causes  of  this  move- 
ment. Tradition  alone  has  interpreted  its  true  animus.  The 


REASONS  FOR  THE  MOVEMENT.  161 

apparent  motive  was  a  restoration  of  the  boundary  line  as 
originally  established  between  the  two  states  that  might  be 
formed  of  the  territory  north  of  an  east-and-west  line  running 
through  the  southerly  bend  of  Lake  Michigan.  This  line,  it  was 
claimed,  had  been  arbitrarily  and  unfairly  extended  fifty  miles 
north  when  Illinois  became  a  state. 

The  real  reasons  for  this  movement  were  two :  First,  the 
settlers  in  the  northern  and  the  southern  portions  of  the  state 
had  little  or  no  interest  in  common.  The  northern  portion  was 
settled  principally  by  people  who  had  come  from  New  England 
and  New  York.  They  were  industrious,  thrifty  and  progressive. 
They  built  towns  and  cities  as  by  magic.  The  southern  part  of 
Illinois  was  settled  by  emigrants  from  the  slave-holding  states. 
They  were  generally  poor,  as  the  well-to-do  people  did  not  emi- 
grate. In  those  days  the  poor  man  in  the  south  was  scarcely 
above  the  Negro  in  the  social  scale.  This  class  came  into  south- 
ern Illinois  from  slave-holding  states  to  escape  the  limitations 
of  their  former  poverty.  Between  the  people  of  the  southern 
and  the  northern  portions  of  the  state  was  a  great  gulf  fixed. 
Each  misunderstood  the  other.  The  Illinois  and  Michigan 
canal  was  opposed  by  the  people  of  southern  Illinois  for  fear  it 
would  flood  the  state  with  Yankees.  This  conflict  of  interest 
and  opinion  was  a  continuation  of  the  struggle  between  the 
civilizations  of  Plymouth  and  Jamestown.  The  Puritan  and 
the  class  distinctions  of  the  cavalier  had  entered  the  western 
arena,  where  a  few  years  later  Lincoln  and  Douglas  fought 
the  historic  battle  of  the  century. 

The  second  reason  for  this  sectional  divorcement  was  the 
desire  of  the  northern  people  to  escape  the  burden  of  the  enor- 
mous state  debt,  which  had  been  created  by  the  gigantic  scheme 
of  internal  improvements.  In  1840,  during  Governor  Carlin's 
administration,  the  total  debt  of  the  state,  principal  and  inter- 
est, was  fourteen  million  six  hundred  and  sixty-six  thousand 
five  hundred  and  sixty-two  dollars  and  forty-two  cents.  The 
treasury  was  bankrupt;  the  revenue  was  insufficient;  the  people 
were  not  able  to  pay  high  taxes,  and  the  state  had  borrowed 
itself  out  of  credit.  The  state  never  repudiated  its  debt,  but  it 
simply  could  not  pay  it  at  that  time.  Moreover,  the  state  had 
little  to  show  for  this  vast  expenditure.  Southern  Illinois 
dominated  the  state,  and  the  people  in  the  sparsely  settled 
northern  counties  were  not  responsible  for  the  creation  of  the 
state  debt. 


162          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAOO  COONT1. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  affairs  when  the  mass  convention 
was  held  in  Rockford  in  the  summer  of  1840.  In  order  to  more 
fully  understand  the  historic  situation  at  that  time,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  briefly  refer  to  the  document  which  gave  a  plausible 
pretext  to  the  separatist  movement.  This  was  the  ordinance 
for  the  government  of  the  Northwest  Territory,  adopted  in 
1787.  This  ordinance  provided  for  the  division  of  this  vast  area 
for  territorial  purposes,  which  of  course  had  no  bearing  upon 
the  present  matter.  It  further  provided  that  not  more  than 
two  states  should  be  formed  from  the  territory  north  of  an 
east-and-west  line  running  through  the  southerly  bend  of  Lake 
Michigan. 

In  1818  Illinois  Territory  petitioned  congress  for  admission 
into  the  union  on  an  equality  with  the  original  states.  The 
petition  defined  the  northern  boundary  of  the  state  in  accord- 
ance with  the  provisions  of  the  ordinance  of  1787.  When  the 
petition  came  before  congress,  Mr.  Pope  was  instructed  by  the 
committee  to  report  a  bill  in  pursuance  of  the  petition.  Before 
the  bill  became  a  law  it  was  amended  by  the  extension  of  the 
boundary  line  from  the  southerly  bend  of  Lake  Michigan  to 
forty-two  degrees  thirty  minutes.  Thus  was  added  to  Illinois 
a  territory  fifty  miles  from  north  to  south,  which  now  includes 
the  northern  fourteen  counties  of  the  state.  These  important 
and  radical  changes  were  proposed  and  carried  through  both 
houses  of  congress  by  Mr.  Pope,  entirely  on  his  own  personal 
responsibility.  The  territorial  legislature  had  not  petitioned 
for  them,  but  the  great  and  lasting  advantage  was  so  apparent 
that  the  action  of  Mr.  Pope  received  the  unqualified  endorse- 
ment of  the  people. 

When  Wisconsin  began  to  aspire  to  statehood,  it  was  upon 
the  language  of  the  ordinance  of  1787,  above  quoted,  which 
was  declared  a  compact  to  remain  forever  unalterable,  that  our 
northern  neighbor  based  her  claim  to  the  territory  north  of  the 
original  line. 

This  question  of  boundary  became  an  issue  in  local  politics, 
and  it  was  not  until  1848,  when  Wisconsin  became  a  state,  that 
all  hope  of  the  restoration  of  the  original  line  was  abandoned. 

In  accordance  with  this  widespread  movement,  which  is 
said  to  have  begun  at  Galena,  a  mass  meeting  was  held  at  the 
Rockford  House,  in  Rockford,  July  6,  1840.  One  hundred  and 
twenty  delegates,  who  represented  the  entire  territory  in  dis- 
pute, were  in  attendance.  Among  the  supporters  from  Rockford 


THE  ROCKFORD  CONVENTION.  163 

and  the  immediate  vicinity  were  Dr.  J.  C.  Goodhue,  William  E. 
Dunbar,  Jason  Marsh,  Thomas  D.  Robertson,  Horace  Miller, 
Dr.  Levi  Moulthrop,  Alonzo  Corey,  John  W.  Taylor,  and  Ger- 
manicus  Kent,  of  Rockford;  Daniel  H.  Whitney  and  James  M. 
Loop,  of  Belvidere;  arid  Martin  P.  Sweet,  of  Freeport.  Dr. 
Goodhue  was  chosen  permanent  chairman  of  the  convention. 

One  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  an  address  to  the 
people  of  the  disputed  territory.  A  second  committee  was 
instructed  to  report  resolutions  declaratory  of  the  right  of 
Wisconsin  to  the  territory  in  dispute.  The  preamble  declared 
that  it  was  the  general  if  not  the  universal  belief  of  the  residents 
of  the  tract  of  territory  in  dispute,  that  the  same  by  right  and 
by  law  is  a  part  of  the  Territory  of  Wisconsin;  and  that  their 
interests  would  be  advanced  by  the  restoration  of  the  original 
line,  as  defined  by  the  ordinance  of  1787. 

The  resolutions  declared  first,  that  it  was  the  opinion  of 
the  meeting  that  the  intention  of  the  framers  of  the  ordinance 
of  1787  for  the  government  of  the  Northwest  Territory,  was 
that  if  congress  formed  one  or  two  states  north  of  theeast-and- 
west  line  above  mentioned,  that  the  states  south  of  the  line 
should  not  extend  north  and  beyond  it;  second,  that  congress, 
in  thus  extending  the  northern  boundary  of  Illinois,  transcended 
its  power  and  violated  the  provisions  of  the  ordinance. 

It  was  also  resolved  that  if  the  governor  of  Wisconsin  Ter- 
ritory should  issue  a  proclamation  for  an  election  of  delegates 
to  a  convention  for  the  formation  of  a  state  government,  under 
the  resolutions  relating  to  the  southern  boundary,  approved 
January  13,  1840,  the  citizens  of  the  territory  in  dispute  should 
elect  delegates  to  the  convention,  according  to  the  ratio  fixed 
by  the  resolution. 

The  sixth  resolution  provided  that  a  central  committee 
of  five  be  appointed  to  carry  into  effect  the  resolutions  of  the 
convention,  and  to  inform  the  executive  of  Wisconsin  of  the 
status  of  public  opinion.  It  was  finally  resolved  that  a  copy  of 
the  proceedings  of  the  convention  should  be  signed  by  the 
president  and  secretary  and  forwarded  to  the  governor  of  the 
Territory  of  Wisconsin. 

Other  boundary  conventions  were  held  in  various  parts  of 
the  district.  A  convention  at  Oregon  City,  January  22,  1842, 
adopted  resolutions  similar  to  those  approved  at  Rockford 
eighteen  months  earlier.  The  delegates  even  went  to  the  point 
of  declaring  that  the  ordinance  of  1787  should  not  be  changed 


164          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

without  the  consent  of  the  people  of  the  original  states,  and  of 
the  Northwest  Territory. 

A  meeting  was  held  in  Galena,  March  18,  1842,  of  which 
Charles  S.  Hempstead  was  president.  Strong  resolutions  were 
adopted.  One  declared  that  the  annexation  of  the  district  to 
Illinois  was  an  unlawful,  arbitrary  proceeding,  and  a  dangerous 
precedent. 

In  June,  1842,  the  commissioners'  court  of  Winnebago 
county  submitted  this  question  to  a  popular  vote  of  the  county 
at  the  August  election.  The  returns  were  as  follows:  Forannex- 
ation  to  Wisconsin,  nine  hundred  and  seventy -one;  opposed  to 
annexation,  six. 

A  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Belvidere  was  held  September 
7, 1842,  when  it  was  decided  to  call  a  special  election  for  the 
fourth  Monday  in  September,  in  pursuance  of  the  recommenda- 
tion contained  in  the  proclamation  of  Governor  Doty,  of  the 
Territory  of  Wisconsin.  Such  an  election  was  held ,  with  a  result 
similar  to  that  in  Winnebago  county. 

This  prolonged  agitation  accomplished  no  result.  The 
movement  suddenly  lost  its  momentum  and  became  a  spent 
force.  The  esssenLial  principle  involved  in  the  resolutions  that 
were  adopted  at  Oregon  City  was  whether  the  congress  of  the 
United  States  under  the  constitution,  had  no  power  to  amend 
a  prior  act  of  confederated  states.  In  view  of  the  subsequent 
evolution  of  the  federal  idea,  under  the  splendid  leadership  of 
Webster  and  Marshall,  it  seems  surprising  that  such  a  prepos- 
terous claim  should  have  been  seriously  considered. 

The  beneficent  results  arising  from  the  policy  of  Nathaniel 
Pope  and  the  failure  of  the  separatists  are  incalculable.  No 
reflections  are  cast  upon  those  who  desired  separation.  They 
acted  from  worthy  motives,  but  they  could  not  foresee  the 
future.  Time  has  shown  their  error  to  have  been  that  of  judg- 
ment rather  than  of  heart.  The  people  of  Wisconsin,  however, 
have  never  been  fully  reconciled  to  the  situation.  From  the 
standpoint  of  state  pride,  it  may  be  said  that  in  the  collapse  of 
the  movement  was  the  magnificent  city  of  Chicago,  "the  queen 
of  the  north  and  the  west,"  saved  to  Illinois.  The  wealthiest, 
most  populous  and  progressive  counties  were  preserved  to  our 
commonwealth,  which  has  become  the  pride  of  the  nation.  In 
1840  the  people  of  northern  Illinois  were  more  in  sympathy 
with  the  ideas  and  institutions  of  Wisconsin,  because  they  had 
a  common  origin  in  the  east.  With  the  lapse  of  time  the  two 


ILLINOIS  A  PIVOTAL  STATE.  165 

portions  of  the  state  have  been  wrought  into  a  bond  of  indis- 
soluble unity. 

Moreover,  there  were  national  reasons  why  Illinois  should 
not  be  dismembered.  In  all  previous  confederated  republics 
there  had  been  danger  of  dissolution.  Illinois,  by  reason  of  her 
geographical  position,  is  a  pivotal  state.  With  a  port  on  the 
chain  of  lakes,  her  western  shore  bounded  by  the  Father  of 
Waters,  and  her  southern  and  eastern  borders  drained  by  the 
Wabash  and  the  Ohio,  the  commercial  power  of  the  Prairie 
State  extends  southward  to  the  gulf,  and  eastward  to  the  sea. 
Mr.  Pope  foresaw  that  none  of  the  states  in  the  west  could  ven- 
ture a  dissolution  of  the  union  without  the  assistance  of  a  state 
which  nature  had  planned  should  be  large  and  powerful. 

Nathaniel  Pope  belongs  to  the  roll  of  forgotten  statesmen. 
The  sphere  of  his  activity  was  limited.  He  did  not  in  his  day 
receive  the  recognition  to  which  he  was  entitled.  He  builded 
wiser  than  he  knew.  He  foresaw  possibilities  which  his  genera- 
tion did  not  fully  comprehend.  In  the  clear  light  of  today, 
that  shines  from  the  grandeur  of  the  Prairie  State,  it  must  be 
said  that  Nathaniel  Pope  was  a  constructive  statesman  of  the 
first  rank. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 
ROCKFORD'S  ATTITUDE  TOWARD  REPUDIATION  OF  STATE  DEBT. 

THE  history  of  the  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  states  begins 
with  the  period  from  1830  to  1840.  At  the  beginning  of 
that  decade  the  aggregate  debt  of  the  several  states  amounted 
to  only  thirteen  million  dollars.  Then  began  an  era  of  extrav- 
agance in  which  certain  states  made  enormous  expenditures  for 
internal  improvements,  and  for  funding  their  debts,  negotiated 
large  loans  on  long  time.  Within  the  twelve  years  succeeding 
1830  the  aggregate  debt  of  the  states  had  arisen  to  more  than 
two  hundred  millions,  an  increase  of  more  than  sixteen  hundred 
per  cent. 

As  a  relief  from  this  burden,  several  states  repudiated  their 
debts.  The  constitution  of  the  United  States  prohibits  a  state 
from  passing  laws  "impairing  the  obligation  of  contracts;" 
and  the  supreme  court  had  repeatedly  affirmed  that  this  clause 
includes  cases  to  which  the  several  states  may  be  parties. 

These  decisions,  however,  indicated  that  the  value  of  this 
contract  clause  depends  upon  other  laws  which  provide  for  the 
enforcement  of  contracts.  If  a  state  owe  a  debt,  her  obligation 
depends  upon  existing  laws  for  the  enforcement  of  contracts 
against  the  state.  If  there  are  no  such  laws,  the  contract,  though 
legal,  may  be  practically  worthless,  if  the  state  chooses  to  dis- 
regard its  provisions.  Under  these  circumstances,  Mississippi, 
Florida,  Alabama,  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Louisiana, 
Georgia,  Arkansas,  Tennessee  and  Virginia  actually  repudiated 
their  debts. 

Illinois  narrowly  escaped  the  odium  of  repudiation.  At  this 
critical  period  Thomas  Ford  became  governor.  On  this  point 
he  says  in  his  History  of  Illinois:  "It  is  my  solemn  belief  that 
when  I  came  into  office,  I  had  the  power  to  make  Illinois  a  repu- 
diating state."  After  July,  1841,  no  effort  was  made  to  pay 
even  the  interest  on  the  debt;  and  her  bonds  declined  to  four- 
teen cents  on  the  dollar.  Ford  was  elected  governor  in  1842 ; 
and  his  title  to  fame  securely  rests  upon  the  fact  that  he  stemmed 
the  tide,  so  that  the  larger  portion  of  the  debt  was  actually 
paid  during  his  administration. 


GOVERNOR  FORD.  167 


Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  citizens  of  Winnebago 
county  desired  annexation  to  Wisconsin,  in  part  by  reason  of 
this  debt,  there  was  no  attempt  made  to  repudiate  the  debt  so 
long  as  they  remained  in  the  state.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
citizens  took  an  unequivocal  position  against  such  a  ruinous 
policy.  A  call  was  issued  for  a  meeting  February  5,  1842,  to 
consider  the  condition  of  the  public  credit.  This  call  was  signed 
by  S.  M.  Church,  S.  D.  Preston,  George  S.  Haskell,  Germanicus 
Kent,  D.  S.  Haight,  G.  A.  Sanford,  Francis  Burnap  and  others. 
It  had  been  surmised  that  Illinois  would  refuse  to  pay  its  debt. 
This  call  was  endorsed  by  a  vigorous  editorial  in  the  Rockford 
Pilot,  which  closed  with  these  words :  "As  this  is  a  question  of 
vital  consideration  to  every  citizen,  we  trust  that  a  full  attend- 
ance will  be  had  on  that  occasion — that  by  your  presence  and 
your  voices  you  may  show  to  the  world  your  opinion  in  regard 
to  these  surmises.  Think  not  that  your  individual  credit  is 
independent  of  that  of  your  state  and  nation.  All  power  and 
all  public  acts  emanate  directly  from  the  people,  who  are  the 
sovereigns  of  the  republic ;  and  whatever  honor  or  shame  falls 
to  your  state,  must  be  shared  among  you."  The  citizens'  meet- 
ing was  in  sympathy  with  this  editorial  comment ;  and  the 
moral  influence  of  Winnebago  county  was  thus  placed  on  record 
against  a  repudiating  policy  that  would  have  brought  the  state 
into  everlasting  disgrace. 

Governor  Thomas  Ford,  whom  the  people  of  Illinois  should 
ever  hold  in  grateful  remembrance,  was  born  at  Uniontown, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1800.  He  held  various  civil  offices  in  his 
adopted  state.  In  1841  he  was  assigned  as  judge  to  the  sixth 
judicial  circuit,  and  while  serving  in  Ogle  county  in  this  capac- 
ity, he  received  notice  of  his  nomination  for  governor  by  the 
Democratic  convention.  He  was  elected  in  August,  1842,  and 
was  inaugurated  in  the  following  December.  Governor  Ford's 
History  of  Illinois  is  a  readable  and  entertaining  book,  and 
will  increase  in  value  with  the  lapse  of  time.  Governor  Ford 
died  at  Peoria,  November  2,  1850.  The  abject  poverty  of  his 
last  days  was  declared  by  the  Mormons  to  be  directly  due  to 
the  curses  pronounced  against  him  by  their  prophet,  Joseph 
Smith.  Like  many  other  illustrious  men,  Governor  Ford  com- 
bined intemperate  habits  with  a  high  sense  of  official  honor. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

THE  LYCEUM. — SETTLERS  OF  THE  EARLY  FORTIES. — MINOR  NOTES. 

THE  lyceum  was  one  of  the  popular  institutions  in  the  early 
days.  The  lecture  bureau  was  unknown,  and  the  opportu- 
nities for  intellectual  improvement  were  limited.  A  celebrated 
Frenchman  said  that  when  he  wanted  a  new  book,  he  wrote 
one.  So  the  earlier  residents  of  the  village  were  dependent  upon 
their  own  resources  for  literary  entertainment.  In  this  day  the 
debating  club  is  usually  a  feature  of  the  district  school;  but 
sixty  years  ago  the  professional  men  of  the  village  found  recre- 
ation and  profit  in  the  arena  of  debate.  Among  the  questions 
discussed  in  the  winters  of  1841—43  were  the  following:  Is  the 
British  government  justifiable  in  waging  the  present  war  with 
China?  Would  a  protective  tariff  be  sound  policy  for  this  gov- 
ernment? Are  we  morally  bound  to  abstain  from  all  intoxi- 
cating drinks?  Is  Rock  river  a  young  river?  The  membership 
of  the  lyceum  included  Dr.  Goodhue,  Charles  Latimer,  James 
M.  Wight,  Anson  S.  Miller,  Francis  Burnap,  Jason  Marsh,  J. 
A.  Brown,  William  P.  Dennis,  Cyrus  F.  Miller,  S.  M.  Church, 
Charles  I.  Horsman,  T.  D.  Robertson,  W.  E.  Dunbar,  and  other 
representative  citizens.  During  the  winter  of  1840—41  James 
M.  Wight  delivered  a  lecture  on  The  March  of  Mind,  and  Mr. 
Burnap  gave  two  addresses  on  The  Rise  and  Progress  of  Law. 

The  Whig  Hill  Lyceum  considered  its  organization  of  such 
importance  as  to  have  it  entered  on  the  records  of  the  county 
commissioners'  court.  At  a  meeting  held  at  the  home  of  Milton 
Kilburn,  there  was  a  debate  on  this  grave  problem :  Which  is 
the  better  citizen,  the  thief  or  the  liar?  The  question  never 
seems  to  have  been  authoritatively  settled,  and  it  is  said  the 
two  classes  are  known  to  still  exist. 

Another  society  was  the  Mechanics'  and  Artisans' Institute. 
At  one  meeting  it  wrestled  with  the  problem :  Ought  the  con- 
gress of  the  United  States  to  enact  a  general  bankrupt  law? 
After  a  lapse  of  more  than  half  a  century,  and  with  the  light  of 
several  experiments,  it  is  still  an  open  question,  from  a  moral 
point  of  view. 


LA  WTERS  OF  EARL  T  FORTIES.  169 

Orrin  Miller  came  to  Rockford  in  1843,  and  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law.  He  was  a  brilliant  and  able  attorney.  Mr. 
Miller  married  a  daughter  of  Willard  Wheeler.  About  1871  he 
removed  to  the  Pacific  coast.  His  death  occurred  at  Pomona, 
near  Los  Angeles,  in  February,  1891.  He  was  about  seventy 
years  of  age.  His  remains  were  brought  to  Rockford  for  inter- 
ment. Mr.  Miller  was  a  cousin  of  Mrs.  William  Brown. 

Another  early  lawyer  of  the  village  was  Grant  B.  Udell. 
His  name  is  occasionally  found  on  old  legal  documents;  but  he 
seems  not  to  have  been  generally  remembered. 

Anson  S.  Miller  was  a  prominent  lawyer  and  politician  half 
a  century  ago.  He  was  elected  state  senator  in  1846,  was  post- 
master of  Rockford  under  appointment  of  President  Lincoln, 
and  probate  judge  from  1857  to  1865.  Judge  Miller  was  one  of 
the  presidential  electors  in  1864,  and  was  chosen  by  the  electo- 
ral college  to  carry  the  vote  of  Illinois  to  Washington.  Judge 
Miller  was  one  of  the  old-school  characters,  dignified,  slightly 
pompous,  with  a  fund  of  good  stories  which  he  could  relate  ad 
libitum.  Judge  Miller  died  January  7, 1891,  at  Santa  Cruz, 
California.  For  twenty  years  preceding  his  death  he  had  resided 
in  California.  Judge  Miller  was  eighty-two  years  of  age.  His 
father  was  Luther  Miller,  a  native  of  Connecticut. 

Cyrus  F.  Miller,  a  brother  of  Judge  Miller,  was  born  near 
Rome,  New  York.  He  came  to  Winnebago  county  in  1839  or 
'40,  and  was  for  many  years  a  well  known  member  of  the  local 
bar,  and  justice  of  the  peace.  Mr.  Miller  removed  to  Chicago  in 
1871,  directly  after  the  great  fire.  He  practiced  law  in  that  city 
until  1876,  when  he  returned  to  Rockford.  His  death  occurred 
June  4,  1890,  at  Beatrice,  Nebraska,  and  his  remains  were 
brought  to  Rockford  for  burial.  Mr.  Miller  was  about  seventy- 
five  years  of  age.  Luther  L.  Miller,  an  attorney  in  Chicago,  is 
a  son;  and  Mrs.  Israel  Shoudy,  of  Rockford,  is  a  daughter. 
Asher  Miller,  another  brother,  now  a  resident  of  California, 
was  also  an  early  settler.  The  father  and  three  sons  came 
to  Rockford  about  the  same  time. 

Daniel  Dow  is  a  native  of  Perthshire  county,  Scotland.  He 
came  to  Rockford  in  1841,  and  opened  a  boot  and  shoe  store,  and 
later  he  carried  a  general  stock  of  merchandise.  He  purchased 
goods  at  St.  Louis,  and  his  first  trip  to  that  city  was  made  by 
team  to  Galena,  thence  by  the  Mississippi  to  his  destination. 
Mr.  Dow  continued  in  business  until  1859,  when  he  retired  and 
traveled  extensively.  Upon  his  return  to  Rockford  he  began 


170          HISTORY  OF  BOCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

dealing  in  grain.  Mr.  Dow  served  the  Third  ward  as  alderman 
for  six  years.  He  is  the  owner  of  the  valuable  Dow  block  on 
South  Main  street. 

Lewis  B.  Gregory  is  a  native  of  Seneca  county,  New  York. 
He  was  born  in  1820,  of  New  England  ancestry.  His  father 
was  Rev.  Harry  Gregory,  a  Methodist  minister.  Mr.  Gregory 
acquired  a  seminary  education.  He  came  to  Eockford  in  1843, 
and  began  teaching  the  same  year.  Mr.  Gregory  is  probably 
the  oldest  living  teacher  in  the  county.  After  teaching  several 
terms,  he  became  interested  in  business  on  the  old  water-power 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  He  was  a  nephew  of  Samuel  and 
Eliphalet  Gregory,  settlers  of  1835.  Mr.  Gregory  was  married 
in  Rockford  to  Miss  Lucy  E.  Spafford,  a  daughter  of  Dan  and 
Julia  Spafford,  who  settled  in  Rockford  in  1844.  Mrs.  Gregory 
died  July  2, 1888.  Their  children  are:  Mrs.  George  N.  Safford, 
Edward  S.  and  George  B.,  of  Rockford ;  Carroll  S.,  of  Beloit ;  and 
Louis  L.,  a  physician  of  Chicago.  One  son,  Charles,  died  in 
infancy.  Mr.  Gregory's  present  wife  was  Mrs.  Stanbro,  form- 
erly of  Memphis,  Tennessee. 

George  Tullock  is  a  well-known  citizen  of  Scottish  birth.  He 
was  born  in  1815,  and  came  to  Rockford  in  1841.  At  Chicago 
Mr.  Tullock  hired  his  passage  with  a  teamster  ;  but  the  roads 
were  so  bad  that  he  started  ahead  on  foot,  and  arrived  in  Rock- 
ford  three  days  ahead  of  the  team.  Mr.  Tullock  was  employed 
by  Daniel  Dow  nearly  four  years  as  a  shoemaker.  He  then 
became  a  farmer. 

In  January,  1843,  a  party  of  Pottawatomie  Indians  camped 
in  the  woods  east  of  the  town  for  several  weeks.  They  were  on 
their  way  to  Milwaukee.  They  were  straight,  fine-looking 
Indians,'  mostly  dressed  in  skins.  There  were  about  one  hun- 
dred of  them.  One  deeply  scarred  veteran  claimed  to  be  one 
hundred  years  old. 

The  winter  of  1842-43  is  known  in  local  history  as  "the 
hard  winter."  The  early  settlers  of  the  northern  part  of  the 
state  remember  its  first  snow-fall,  which  began  November  7th, 
and  continued  until  the  10th ;  the  extreme  cold  of  the  long 
winter,  the  scarcity  of  food  for  stock,  and  the  loss  of  many  cat- 
tle from  hunger  and  cold  by  reason  of  the  scarcity  of  barns  and 
sheds  for  protection.  The  country  was  new;  the  settlements 
were  sparse;  and  it  was  often  miles  across  the  dreary  stretch  of 
snow-covered  prairie  between  settlements.  Many  of  the  houses 


THE  "HARD  WINTER."  171 


of  the  settlers  were  poor  and  open,  without  a  tree  or  shrub  to 
protect  them  from  wind  and  snow.  During  this  "hard  winter" 
the  snow  averaged  thirty  inches  in  depth.  It  fell  before  the 
ground  had  frozen,  and  lay  in  such  a  body  that  the  ground  did 
not  freeze  at  all,  except  in  occasional  places.  The  snow  drifted 
to  a  height  even  with  the  top  of  the  rail  fences,  and  then  froze 
so  hard  that  it  bore  horses  and  cattle  on  its  surface.  During 
that  winter  great  slaughter  was  made  among  the  deer.  The 
dogs,  borne  by  the  frozen  snow,  caught  such  numbers  that  the 
forests  were  cleared  of  them. 

In  August,  1841,  there  was  a  sudden  chauge  in  the  post- 
master at  Rockford.  Edward  Warren  had  been  appointed  in 
May  to  succeed  Daniel  S.  Haight.  Mr.  Warren  was  a  brother  of 
Mrs.  Charles  H.  Spafford.  He  built  the  upright  part  of  the  house 
now  owned  by  Dr.  Daniel  Lichty,  on  the  corner  of  Third  and 
Walnut  streets.  Mr.  Warren  was  succeeded  in  the  summer  of 
1841  by  Selden  M.  Church,  who,  in  turn  was  folio  wed  by  Charles 
H.  Spafford,  through  Mr.  Warren's  influence,  it  is  said.  Mr. 
Warren  and  Mr.  Church  were  Whigs.  Mr.  Warren  subsequently 
went  to  Paris,  and  was  a  student  in  the  Latin  Quarter  during 
the  revolution  of  1848. 

In  the  autumn  of  1844,  Nathaniel  Crosby,  of  Belvidere,  con- 
veyed to  the  "General  Convention  of  the  Baptist  Denomination 
in  the  United  States  for  Foreign  Missions,"  by  deed,  lots  in 
blocks  five,  seven,  eight,  nine,  twenty-eight  and  forty-nine,  the 
whole  of  block  forty-six,  and  south  park  lots  two  and  six  in 
East  Rockford.  These  lots  were  considered  a  generous  gift. 

The  files  of  the  Rock  River  Express  and  the  Rockford  Pilot 
show  a  creditable  line  of  advertisements.  In  the  Express  of 
March,  1841,  are  found  the  cards  of  Tinker  &  Johnson,  tailors ; 
G.  Haskell  &  Co.,  dry  goods  and  groceries;  John  W.  Taylor 
and  C.  Hitchcock  &  Co.,  also  dealers  in  dry  goods.  In  the 
issue  of  March  6th  S.  M.  Church  makes  this  announcement  as 
assignee:  "All  persons  indebted  to  Germanicus  Kent  are 
requested  to  call  and  adjust  the  same  immediately."  The  Pilot 
of  January,  1842,  publishes  an  advertisement  for  Volney  A. 
Marsh,  who  kept  a  general  store  in  the  north  wing  of  the  Win- 
nebago  House;  the  professional  cards  of  T.  D.  Robertson, 
A.  S.  &  Cyrus  F.  Miller,  Charles  F.  Latimer,  Grant  B.  Udell  and 
Francis  Burnap,  attorneys ;  F.  M.  Putney,  proprietor  of  Rock- 
ford  House ;  David  Paul,  Washington  House ;  Wyman  &  Hough- 
ton,  clothing ;  Chicago  Democrat  and  Godey'e  Ladies'  Book, 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

ORGANIZATION  OF   AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY.— THE  FIRST  FAIR. 

AS  early  as  August,  1840,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  draft 
a  constitution  and  by-laws  for  the  Winnebago  County 
Agricultural  Society.  This  committee  deferred  its  report  until 
the  next  March  term  of  the  county  commissioners'  court,  in 
order  to  avail  itself  of  the  privilege  of  organizing  the  society 
under  the  statute  "to  incorporate  agricultural  societies,"  which 
was  passed  March  28,  1839.  The  act  required  the  county 
commissioners  to  give  due  notice  of  the  intention  to  form  such 
society  at  that  special  term  only,  and  precluded  a  legal  organ- 
ization in  this  county  at  an  earlier  date,  under  the  provisions 
of  the  statute. 

The  Agricultural  Society  was  organized  April  13, 1841.  Dr. 
Haskell  was  elected  president ;  Robert  J.  Cross,  vice-president ; 
George  W.  Lee,  secretary;  Charles  I.Horsman,  treasurer;  Hor- 
ace Miller,  Richard  Montague,  P.  M.  Johnson,  James  S.  Norton, 
Newton  Crawford,  I.  N.  Cunningham,  Jonathan  Weldon,  direct- 
ors. An  adjourned  meeting  was  held  July  5th,  when  President 
Haskell  delivered  an  address,  which  has  been  preserved  in  full. 
September  8th  a  meeting  of  the  officers  was  held  to  complete 
arrangements  for  the  first  cattle  show.  It  was  decided  that  the 
fair  should  be  held  annually  in  Rockford,  alternating  on  the  east 
and  west  sides  of  the  river ;  that  all  the  available  funds  of  the 
society  be  distributed  in  premiums,  and  that  the  premiums  be 
paid  in  agricultural  publications. 

The  exhibition  was  held  on  the  13th  of  October.  The  stock 
was  exhibited  in  the  grove  near  the  northeast  corner  of  First 
and  Oak  streets,  which  was  known  as  the  Oak  Openings,  where 
the  ground  was  covered  with  a  beautiful  tuft.  A  few  splendid 
specimens  of  the  primitive  oak  trees  remain  in  the  vicinity. 
Cattle  and  horses  were  tied  to  the  trees;  the  sheep  and  hogs 
were  confined  in  rail  pens.  The  display  of  domestic  articles 
and  garden  produce  was  made  in  the  hall  of  the  Rockford 
House.  Charles  I.  Horsman  exhibited  a  squash  weighing  one 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  pounds.  There  were  several  loads 
of  grain  standing  in  the  street  in  front  of  the  Rockford  House. 


PREMIUM  LIST.  173 


At  two  o'clock  the  society  and  visitors  formed  a  procession, 
under  direction  of  Jason  Marsh,  the  marshal  of  the  day,  and 
marched  to  the  court  house,  on  the  East  side.  Rev.  Joel  B. 
Potter  offered  prayer,  and  Dr.  Goodhue  delivered  an  address. 
He  was  eloquent  in  his  prophecy  of  the  future  which  awaited 
the  farmers  of  this  fertile  valley.  After  these  exercises  dinner 
was  served  at  the  Rockford  House.  At  half  past  five  the  com- 
mittee on  awards  made  its  report.  The  premium  list  was  brief. 
There  were  seven  premiums  offered  for  horses,  six  for  cattle, 
four  for  hogs,  and  two  for  sheep ;  one  for  the  best  cultivated 
ten  acres  of  land,  one  for  the  best  twenty-five  pounds  of  butter, 
one  for  the  best  cheese  weighing  over  fifteen  pounds,  one  for  the 
best  ten  yards  of  flannel  manufactured  in  the  county,  one  for  the 
best  fifty  skeins  of  sewing  silk  manufactured  in  the  county,  and 
one  for  the  best  ten  pounds  of  sugar  from  the  beet  manufactured 
in  the  county.  Thus  was  held,  in  a  single  day,  the  first  cattle 
show  in  northern  Illinois. 

The  editor  of  the  Rockford  Pilot  referred  to  the  event  in  this 
unique  specimen  of  primitive  journalism:  "The  cattle  show 
came  off  yesterday  in  good  style.  The  day  was  fine,  the  women 
were  fine,  the  pigs  were  fine.  The  display  of  stock  certainly 
exceeded  our  anticipations.  Surely  we  live  in  a  wonderful  age. 
Mobs,  miracles  and  morality  are  developing  in  a  manner  that 
would  have  bothered  the  brains  of  our  forefathers.  Here  we  are 
in  a  country  that  six  years  ago  lay  in  the  precise  state  in  which 
it  was  moulded  in  the  palm  of  the  great  Builder— not  a  tene- 
ment had  ever  been  erected  in  this  precinct  to  cover  the  head  of 
a  white  man.  Yesterday  we  saw  a  thousand  people  collected 
for  the  great  object  of  improvement  in  the  science  of  agriculture, 
and  a  display  of  domestic  stock  that  would  have  been  credita- 
ble to  any  portion  of  the  United  States.  We  saw  silk  that  had 
been  manufactured  by  the  hands  of  the  ladies  of  our  place,  and 
a  variety  of  products  that  show  the  rapid  strides  that  we  are 
making  toward  perfection  in  the  noble  science  of  agriculture." 

This  society  kept  up  its  organization  and  annual  exhibits 
for  some  years,  when  it  ceased  to  exist.  In  1852  another  society 
was  formed,  out  of  which  the  present  organization  has  devel- 
oped. The  latter  was  organized  under  a  general  law,  approved 
in  1855.  Until  1858  the  society  held  its  exhibitions  on  leased 
ground.  In  that  year,  twelve  acres  of  land  were  purchased  of  C. 
I.  Horsman,  for  six  hundred  dollars  per  acre.  Later  purchases 
were  made,  which  increased  the  grounds  to  twenty-two  acres. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR. — THE  BANDITTI  OF  THE  FRONTIER. 

THE  frontier  is  always  the  prey  of  the  banditti.  From  1837 
to  1845  the  Rock  river  valley  was  infested  with  a  notori- 
ous gang  of  outlaws.  Among  the  leaders  of  this  band  were : 
John  Driscoll,  William  and  David  Driscoll,  his  sons ;  John  Bro- 
die,  and  his  three  sons,  John,  Stephen  and  Hugh;  Samuel 
Aikens,  and  his  three  sons,  Richard,  Charles  and  Thomas; 
William  K.  Bridge,  Norton  B.  Royce,  Charles  Oliver,  and  Charles 
West.  Besides  these  chiefs  of  the  robber  confederacy,  there 
were  a  large  number  of  subordinates  scattered  throughout  the 
country. 

The  leaders  of  this  gang  were  among  the  first  settlers,  and 
thus  had  the  choice  of  locations.  John  Driscoll  came  from 
Ohio,  and  settled  near  Killbuck  creek,  Monroe  township,  Ogle 
county.  William  Driscoll  settled  at  South  Grove,  in  DeKalb 
county.  David  Driscoll  resided  a  short  distance  east  of  the  old 
village  site  of  Lynnville,  in  Ogle  county.  John  Brodie  lived  in 
a  grove  of  timber  in  Dement  township.  Samuel  Aikens  and  his 
son  Charles  and  William  K.  Bridge  settled  at  Washington 
Grove,  and  Thomas  and  Richard  Aikens  and  Norton  B.  Royce 
at  Lafayette  Grove,  scarcely  half  a  mile  distant.  Charles  Oliver 
settled  at  Rockford,  and  made  his  home  at  the  Rockford  House. 
He  had  a  good  address,  and  was  given  four  thousand  dollars  by 
his  father  when  he  left  the  parental  home.  About  1837,  while 
he  was  an  unknown  member  of  this  band  of  outlaws,  he  came 
within  a  few  votes  of  being  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace,  over 
James  B.  Martyn.  Charles  West  made  his  home  at  Inlet  Grove, 
in  Lee  county. 

The  operations  of  this  band  extended  through  the  western 
and  northwestern  states.  Along  the  entire  line  there  were  con- 
venient stations,  in  charge  of  men  who,  to  all  appearance,  were 
honest,  hard-working  settlers.  Such  was  William  McDole,  a 
quiet,  industrious  resident  of  Rockford.  Under  this  arrange- 
ment, a  horse  stolen  at  either  end  of  the  line  or  elsewhere  could 
be  passed  from  one  station  to  another,  and  no  agent  be  absent 


JUDGE  FORD'S  ADVICE.  175 

from  his  home  or  business  for  more  than  a  few  hours  at  a  time ; 
and  thus  for  years  they  remained  unsuspected.  At  that  time 
few  counties  were  sufficiently  organized  to  enforce  efficient  police 
regulations.  This  section  was  sparsely  settled;  the  pioneers 
were  poor,  and  money  was  scarce.  There  were  few  jails,  and 
these  were  scarcely  worthy  of  the  name.  For  several  years  after 
the  settlement  of  Winnebago  county,  the  nearest  jail  was  at 
Galena.  There  is  a  story  to  the  effect  that  the  sheriff  of  this 
county  once  took  a  culprit  to  Galena,  and  upon  his  return  to 
Rockford  his  late  prisoner  was  among  the  first  to  greet  him. 

This  primitive  condition  of  society  was  the  opportunity  of 
the  border  outlaw.  Counterfeiting,  horse-stealing,  robbery  and 
even  murder  were  of  such  frequent  occurrence  that  the  settlers 
were  driven  to  desperation.  They  resolved  to  adopt  radical 
measures  for  relief;  for  if  these  outrages  were  continued,  prop- 
erty was  insecure,  and  life  itself  was  in  constant  jeopardy.  In 
the  spring  of  1841,  a  delegation  of  reputable  citizens  of  White 
Rock  and  Paine's  Point,  in  Ogle  county,  called  upon  Judge 
Ford,  who  was  then  holding  circuit  court  at  Oregon,  for  con- 
sultation. Judge  Ford  was  a  fearless  man,  and  naturally  well 
equipped  to  meet  the  peculiar  conditions  of  pioneer  life.  Judge 
Ford  knew  that  the  settlers  were  at  the  mercy  of  the  banditti, 
and  that  it  was  useless  to  invoke  the  civil  authorities.  He 
therefore  advised  them  to  organize  a  company,  which  should 
call  upon  the  men  whom  they  knew  to  be  lawless,  take  them  by 
force  from  their  homes,  strip  them  to  the  waist,  and  lash  them 
with  a  blacksnake.  He  recommended  thirty-six  lashes  as  the 
first  chastisement,  and  sixty  for  a  second  offense ;  and  that  the 
leaders  should  be  given  ten  days  in  which  to  leave  the  country. 

Judge  Ford's  advice  was  followed  to  the  letter.  A  decree 
from  the  bench  could  not  have  been  more  faithfully  executed.  In 
April  about  fifteen  citizens  met  at  a  log  schoolhouse  at  White 
Rock  and  organized  a  company  known  as  the  Ogle  County  Reg- 
ulators. By-laws  and  rules  were  adopted,  and  the  membership 
increased  to  hundreds  in  Ogle  and  Winnebago  counties.  Ralph 
Chaney,  then  in  his  twentieth  year,  was  an  active  member  of 
this  organization.  Mr.  Chaney  is  now  a  retired  citizen  of  Rock- 
ford  ;  and  to  him  the  writer  is  indebted  for  information  of  those 
stirring  experiences. 

John  Earle  was  the  first  victim  of  this  savage  justice.  It 
was  proved  that  he  had  forced  or  induced  a  young  man  under 
twenty  years  of  age  to  steal  his  neighbor's  horse.  Earle's  coat 


176         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND   WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

and  vest  were  removed,  and  his  arms  pinioned.  Six  or  seven 
men  were  chosen  from  the  company  to  administer  five  lashes 
apiece.  Mr.  Cbaney  relates  that  a  deacon  of  the  church  inflicted 
the  most  vigorous  strokes.  The  result  was  quite  unexpected. 
At  the  next  meeting  of  the  Regulators,  Earle  applied  for  mem- 
bership, was  admitted,  and  became  a  good  worker. 

The  second  instance  occurred  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same 
day.  The  culprit's  name  was  Daggett.  Before  coming  to  the 
west  he  had  been  a  Baptist  minister.  He  was  not  a  shining 
example  of  the  perseverance  of  the  saints,  a  distinctive  doctrine 
of  that  church;  for  he  had  fallen  from  grace  with  a  dull,  sick- 
ening thud.  The  Regulators  were  not  agreed  concerning  his 
punishment;  although  his  guilt  was  generally  believed.  A  bare 
majority  of  one  or  two  voted  to  release  him.  That  night, 
however,  the  minority  tied  Daggett  to  a  tree  and  gave  him 
ninety-six  lashes.  Dr.  Hobart  examined  him  occasionally,  to 
prevent  fatal  injury.  This  chastisement  was  denounced  by  the 
more  conservative  Regulators. 

Soon  after  their  organization,  John  Campbell  was  chosen 
captain  of  the  Regulators.  A  short  time  after  they  had  begun 
their  work  of  extermination,  Mr.  Campbell  received  an  epistle 
from  William  Driscoll,  in  which  he  offered  battle  with  the  most 
terrible  oaths.  The  Regulators  were  challenged  to  meet  him 
Tuesday,  June  22d,  at  his  home  in  South  Grove.  Mr.  Campbell 
was  generally  recognized  as  the  right  man  to  lead  such  an 
organization.  He  was  a  devout  Scotch  Presbyterian,  who  had 
come  from  Canada. 

At  the  appointed  time  one  hundred  and  ninety-six  men, 
armed  with  rifles  and  muskets,  responded  to  the  challenge. 
They  were  mounted  on  good  horses;  with  the  stars  and  stripes 
unfurled  to  the  breeze,  and  a  bugle,  they  formed  in  line,  two 
abreast,  and  began  the  march  to  the  field  of  battle.  When  they 
arrived  at  South  Grove  they  found  seventeen  members  of  the 
gang  in  a  log  house,  barricaded  for  defense,  armed  with  fifty- 
four  guns  of  different  kinds.  The  Regulators  halted  just  outside 
of  gunshot  and  held  a  council  of  war.  Before  making  an  attack, 
it  was  resolved  to  send  a  messenger  to  the  house,  to  ascertain 
the  plans  of  the  inmates.  Osborn  Chaney  volunteered  to  beard 
the  lions  in  their  den.  When  within  forty  rods  of  the  house  the 
men  broke  through  the  door,  and  ran  away;  and  Mr.  Chaney 
did  not  get  an  opportunity  to  speak  with  any  one  of  them. 
Soon  after  Mr.  Chaney  returned  to  the  company  he  was  fol- 


SECOND   NATIONAL   BANK    BLOCK 

Built  about  1843  by  Nathaniel  Looniis.  on  the  south-east  corner  of  State  and  Main  streets 


W.  G.  CONICK'S  RESIDENCE 

Built  in  1838  by  Daniel  S.  Haifcht,  on  the  present  site  of  the  American  House.    Sessions 

of  the  circuit  court  for  November,  1839,  and  April,  1840,  were 

probably  held  in  this  hous« 


MURDER  OF  JOHN  CAMPBELL.  177 

lowed  by  a  man  named  Bowman,  who  said  he  had  a  message 
from  John  Driscoll,  to  the  effect  that  if  the  Regulators  wished 
to  confer  with  him,  he  would  receive  the  message  from  Bow- 
man, and  from  no  one  else.  William  Driscoll  also  sent  word  by 
the  same  messenger  that  he  had  three  hundred  allies  at  Syca- 
more, and  that  they  would  meet  the  Regulators  on  the  prairie 
two  hours  later.  The  latter  repaired  to  a  level  piece  of  ground, 
examined  their  guns,  and  awaited  developments.  In  due  time 
Driscoll  arrived,  with  the  sheriff  of  DeKalb  county  and  two 
other  officials,  who  wished  to  know  the  meaning  of  the  demon- 
stration. Captain  Campbell  stood  in  a  wagon,  and  in  a  vigorous 
speech  gave  them  the  desired  information.  Meanwhile  Driscoll 
sat  on  his  horse  about  four  feet  distant.  He  was  silent,  but  in 
a  terrible  rage.  Mr.  Chancy  says  he  heard  the  grating  of  his 
teeth,  and  believes  that  then  and  there  Campbell  received  his 
death  sentence  from  Driscoll.  The  officials  from  DeKalb  county 
expressed  their  sympathy  with  the  Regulators,  and  the  Dris- 
colls  promised  to  leave  the  state  within  twenty  days.  The 
Regulators  disbanded  for  the  day,  and  went  home.  The  Dris- 
colls  did  not  keep  their  word.  On  the  contrary,  a  meeting  of 
the  desperadoes  was  held  on  the  following  Saturday  night  at 
the  house  of  William  Bridge,  at  Washington  Grove,  where  the 
murder  of  Campbell  was  planned. 

On  Sunday,  June  27th,  David  and  Taylor  Driscoll,  who  had 
been  chosen  to  murder  Campbell,  accomplished  their  purpose. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Campbell  had  just  returned  from  church  at  the 
log  schoolhouse  at  White  Rock.  While  going  from  the  house 
to  the  barn  about  twilight,  he  was  shot  through  the  heart  by 
David  Driscoll.  Ralph  Chaney  was  making  his  home  with  his 
brother  Phineas  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  distant.  He 
heard  the  report  of  the  gun  and  the  cries  of  the  family.  He 
and  Phineas  immediately  went  to  the  assistance  of  the  Camp- 
bell family.  Mr.  Campbell  walked  aboutforty  feet,  and  fell  dead. 

News  of  the  tragedy  spread  quickly  to  Rockford  and  other 
towns.  Mrs.  Campbell  was  a  witness  of  the  murder,  and  there 
was  no  doubt  about  the  identity  of  the  assassins.  On  Monday 
the  sheriff  of  Ogle  county  and  a  posse  arrested  John  Driscoll 
at  the  home  of  his  son  David,  near  Lynnville.  Mr.  Chaney 
gives  this  incident  of  the  arrest :  "When  he  was  arrested  he  said  : 
'I  always  calculate  to  hold  myself  in  subjection  to  the  laws  of 
my  country.'  A  daughter  who  was  stopping  there,  a  woman 
grown,  large  and  strong,  when  the  sheriff  announced  that  he  was 


178          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COONTJ. 

a  prisoner,  turned  and  faced  her  father,  and  their  eyes  met, 
and  there  was  that  kind  of  a  look  I  can  hardly  describe,  passed 
between  them,  and  as  she  held  his  eye  she  nodded  her  head  to 
him.  Nothing  said,  but  such  a  look  I  never  saw  in  the  world." 

The  sheriff  and  his  posse  then  went  to  South  Grove  in  search 
of  William  Driscoll.  The  elder  Driscoll  was  seated  in  a  wagon 
between  two  guards.  A  company  from  Winnebago  county  had 
preceded  them,  and  had  arrested  William  and  his  younger 
brother  Pierce.  The  sheriff  took  his  prisoner  to  Oregon  and 
lodged  him  in  jail. 

About  nine  o'clock  Tuesday  morning  a  party  went  to  the 
jail,  and  with  heavy  timbers  battered  down  the  door.  They 
took  John  Driscoll  from  his  cell,  put  a  rope  around  his  neck, 
and  dragged  him  to  the  river  as  rapidly  as  possible.  The  sheriff 
pursued,  but  before  he  could  overtake  them,  they  had  entered 
a  boat  with  their  prisoner  and  were  soon  on  the  other  side  of 
the  river.  There  they  met  a  man  from  Washington  Grove,  who 
told  them  there  was  a  party  at  that  place  who  had  taken  the 
two  sons,  William  and  Pierce.  They  then  proceeded  with 
John  Driscoll  to  Washington  Grove,  where  they  met  the  Rock- 
ford  division.  By  this  time,  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon, 
the  crowd  had  increased  to  about  five  hundred.  Nearly  every 
class  of  people  was  represented.  The  horsemen  dismounted, 
secured  their  horses,  and  stacked  their  arms  around  a  tree. 
They  formed  a  hollow  square  around  the  tree,  and  brought  the 
three  Driscolls  into  the  centre.  Among  the  lawyers  present  was 
E.  S.  Leland,  who  acted  as  the  leader,  and  conducted  an  exam- 
ination of  the  prisoners.  A  mob  court  was  instituted.  The 
senior  Driscoll  was  asked  how  many  horses  he  had  stolen  in  his 
time ;  to  which  he  replied  that  he  supposed  he  had  taken  as 
many  as  fifty.  "Could  you  not  say  a  hundred?"  asked  an 
inquisitor;  and  the  old  man,  with  a  faint  smile,  said:  "Itmight 
be."  He  confessed  that  he  had  paid  young  men  from  fifteen  to 
twenty-five  dollars  to  steal  a  horse  from  a  neighbor,  simply  to 
satisfy  a  grudge,  when  he  received  no  pecuniary  reward  from 
the  theft.  William  Driscoll  was  similarly  interviewed.  Pierce 
Driscoll  was  examined,  but  no  evidence  was  found  against  him, 
and  he  was  given  his  liberty. 

John  and  William  Driscoll  were  then  told  that  David  and 
Taylor  had  been  identified  as  the  murderers  of  Campbell ; 
also  that  the  evidence  had  proved  them  to  be  accessories 
in  the  plot  at  Bridge's  house  on  the  preceding  Saturday 


LYNCHING  OF  THE  DR1SCOLLS.  179 

evening.  After  further  deliberation,  Mr.  Leland  called  for  an 
expression  of  opinion  upon  the  guilt  of  the  prisoners,  by  the 
uplifted  right  hand.  The  decision  was  almost  unanimous 
against  them.  The  vote  upon  their  punishment  was  equally 
decisive  that  they  should  be  hung,  then  and  there;  and  they 
were  given  one  hour  in  which  to  prepare  for  death.  The  con- 
demned men  implored  their  executioners  to  change  the  method 
of  death  from  hanging  to  shooting.  This  request  was  granted 
by  a  unanimous  vote.  The  senior  Driscoll  had  stood  in  the 
meantime  with  the  rope  around  his  neck,  and  he  asked  Mr. 
Chaney  to  remove  it. 

The  arrangements  for  the  execution  occupied  about  an  hour 
and  a  half.  Jason  Marsh,  of  Rockford,  was  present,  and  pro- 
posed to  Charles  Latimer,  as  an  additional  formality,  to  defend 
the  prisoners,  and  present  their  case  before  the  mob  court.  Mr. 
Marsh  then  made  the  opening  plea  for  the  prisoners;  "and  I 
must  say,"  writes  Mr.  Chaney,  "he  did  himself  credit,  and  full 
justice  to  the  prisoners  in  his  speech.  Latimer  followed  in 
behalf  of  the  people,  and  made  a  very  able  speech."  There  were 
several  ministers  of  the  gospel  on  the  scene,  who  spent  the  time 
allowed  the  prisoners  in  prayer  and  conversation  with  them.  It 
was  an  occasion  of  great  solemnity.  Righteous  wrath  was 
expressed  in  the  resolute  and  orderly  execution  of  mob  justice. 

When  the  hour  for  execution  arrived,  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  men  were  drawn  up  in  a  line,  in  single  file.  This  line 
was  divided  in  the  center.  John  Driscoll  was  led  out  by  Captain 
Pitcher,  in  full  view  of  his  executioners.  He  was  made  to  kneel 
ten  paces  in  front  of  the  west  half  of  the  line.  His  eyes  were 
blindfolded,  and  his  arms  pinioned  behind  him.  At  the  signal, 
every  gun,  save  one,  was  fired  in  a  single  volley.  John  Driscoll 
fell  forward  on  his  face  without  a  struggle  or  groan,  or  the 
apparent  movement  of  a  muscle. 

William  Driscoll  was  then  brought  out  and  placed  at  the 
same  distance  before  the  center  of  the  other  half  of  the  line.  He 
was  blindfolded,  pinioned,  and  made  to  kneel  upon  the  ground. 
As  Judge  Leland  counted  three,  the  volley  of  more  than  fifty  guns 
was  as  the  sound  of  one.  William  Driscoll  was  dead.  The  father 
and  son  fell  about  forty  feet  apart.  A  grave  was  dug  between 
them,  about  two  and  one-half  feet  deep,  and  four  feet  wide.  The 
old  man  was  first  taken  and  placed  in  the  grave,  without  coffin 
or  shroud ;  and  then  the  son  was  laid  by  his  side.  Their  caps 
were  drawn  over  their  faces,  and  thus  they  were  buried,  without 


180  HISTORY  OF  EOCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

the  presence  of  a.  mourning  friend.  Mr.  Chaney  assisted  in  car- 
rying the  elder  Driscoll  to  the  grave,  and  discovered  that  the 
bones  of  his  head  were  literally  broken  to  pieces,  and  the  region 
of  the  heart  perforated  with  bullets.  In  William  DriscolFs  vest 
front  were  found  forty  bullet-holes.  After  their  execution  one  of 
their  guard  stated  that  William  Driscoll  in  his  prayer  confessed  he 
had  committed  five  murders,  and  prayed  to  be  forgiven.  It  is  said 
that  just  before  he  was  led  out  to  die,  William  called  his  brother 
Pierce  and  said :  "They  are  going  to  kill  me,  and  I  want  you  to 
take  that  money  of  mine  that  is  hid  and  give  my  children  a  lib- 
eral education,  and  spend  it  for  their  support  until  they  become 
men  and  women  and  grown.  There  is  a  plenty  of  it."  Pierce 
expressed  his  willingness  to  do  so,  but  said:  "I  don't  know 
where  your  money  is;  you  have  never  told  me."  William  tried 
to  tell  him,  but  exclaimed  :  "0  my  God !  I  can't  do  it !  " 

A  strange  sequel  occurred  many  years  later.  The  farm  that 
had  been  owned  by  William  Driscoll  became  the  property  of  a 
man  named  Byers.  One  day  in  autumn,  while  he  was  thresh- 
ing, three  men  carne  on  horseback  and  entered  the  grove  west 
of  the  house.  After  surveying  the  premises,  they  located  a  spot 
and  began  digging.  Byers  ordered  them  to  stop,  but  he  was 
confronted  by  a  revolver  and  an  order  to  return  and  mind  his 
own  business.  After  their  departure,  Byers  went  to  the  spot 
and  found  a  hole  which  they  had  dug  in  the  ground,  and  beside 
it  a  small  empty  box,  and  at  the  bottom  of  the  hole  the  mark 
and  place  from  which  the  box  had  been  dug.  No  explanation 
was  ever  found.  A  reward  of  five  hundred  dollars  was  offered 
in  August,  1841,  for  the  capture  of  David  and  Taylor  Driscoll, 
by  a  committee  of  the  citizens  of  Ogle  county. 

David  Driscoll  never  returned.  It  was  reported  that  about 
two  years  after  the  murder  of  Campbell,  he  was  shot  dead  in 
Iowa  by  a  sheriff  who  was  attempting  to  arrest  him.  Taylor 
Driscoll  was  indicted  for  the  murder  of  Campbell,  and  kept  in 
different  jails  nearly  two  years;  and  by  changes  of  venue  and 
confusion  of  witnesses,  he  was  at  length  given  his  liberty. 

Throughout  these  strange  proceedings  the  Regulators  were 
sustained  by  the  ablest  lawyers  and  best  citizens  throughout 
the  country.  "Doctors  and  scholars,  ministers  and  deacons" 
regarded  this  terrible  example  of  lynch  law  as  a  public  neces- 
sity. One  notable  exception  to  this  general  public  sentiment 
was  the  Rockford  Star.  In  its  issue  of  July  1,  1841,  its  editor, 
Mr.  Knappen,  denounced  the  lynching  in  severe  terms.  He  also 


A  FAMOUS  INDICTMENT.  181 


published  in  the  same  number  of  the  Star  a  communication  of 
similar  import,  signed  7ox  Populi,  said  to  have  been  written 
by  Jacob  Miller. 

Some  months  after  the  execution  of  the  Driscolls,  the  mat- 
ter was  brought  before  the  attention  of  the  grand  jury  in  Ogle 
county.  Judge  Ford  then  resided  at  Oregon,  and  it  is  said  this 
action  was  taken  at  his  suggestion.  At  the  September  term  of 
the  circuit  court,  indictments  were  found  against  one  hundred 
and  twelve  citizens.  Among  these  were  four  Chaney  brothers, 
Richard,  Phineas,  Osborn  and  Ralph,  three  of  whom  became 
residents  of  Rockford ;  and  Horace  Miller,  Jason  Marsh  and 
Charles  Latimer,  of  Winnebago  county.  The  case  was  called 
for  trial  at  the  same  term  of  court.  Judge  Ford  presided, 
and  Seth  B.  Farwell  appeared  for  the  people.  Some  of  the 
jurors  were  under  indictment  for  complicity  in  the  affair.  Several 
witnesses  were  called,  and  pleas  made ;  and  without  leaving 
their  seats  the  jury  returned  a  verdict  of  "not  guilty."  No 
one  expected  a  conviction ;  but  it  was  considered  desirable  to 
have  the  matter  settled  according  to  the  regular  form  of  law. 
Thus  closed  the  trial  of  the  largest  number  of  defendants  ever 
indicted  under  one  charge  at  one  session  of  a  grand  jury  known 
to  the  judicial  history  of  this  section. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

ROBBERY  OF  M'KENNEY  AND  MULFORD. — COLONEL  DAVENPORT. 

THE  execution  of  the  Driscolls  was  only  the  beginning  of  the 
work  of  extermination ;  although  it  was  the  sole  instance 
where  such  desperate  measures  were  considered  necessary  to 
accomplish  their  purpose.    Robberies  and  murders  continued, 
and  the  people  lived  for  years  under  a  literal  reign  of  terror. 

September  19,  1843,  the  store  of  William  McKenney,  near 
the  site  of  318  East  State  street,  in  Rockford,  was  robbed  of  a 
trunk  containing  nearly  twelve  hundred  dollars.  Bradford 
McKenney,  his  brother,  who  slept  in  the  store  at  the  time,  gives 
a  vivid  account  of  the  robbery  in  Mr.Thurston's  Reminiscences. 
The  narrative,  in  its  use  of  adjectives  and  interjections,  requires 
some  revision  in  order  to  make  it  conform  to  the  canons  of 
good  literary  style.  The  robber,  in  his  hasty  flight,  left  eight 
dollars  in  silver,  in  the  trunk.  The  next  day  several  dollars 
were  found  at  another  place  ;  and  the  next  spring  James  Gilbert 
found  sixty-two  dollars  only  a  few  rods  from  where  the  trunk 
was  rifled  of  its  contents.  A  reward  of  two  hundred  dollars 
was  offered  for  the  apprehension  of  the  thief  and  the  recovery 
of  the  money ;  but  he  was  an  expert,  and  eluded  capture. 

The  community  was  startled  two  weeks  later  by  another 
bold  depredation.  Monday  evening,  October  2,  one  of  the  four- 
horse  coaches  belonging  to  Frink,  Walker  &  Co.  was  robbed 
four  miles  from  Rockford,  while  enroute  to  Chicago.  It  is  said 
the  baggage  of  the  passengers  was  stolen  from  the  rear  of  the 
coach  while  in  motion,  and  that  the  fact  was  not  discovered 
until  its  arrival  in  Newburg.  The  next  morning  the  trunks 
were  found  a  few  rods  from  the  road.  They  had  been  broken 
open  and  all  property  of  any  value  had  been  taken.  A  plan 
had  been  laid  to  secure  a  large  amount  of  money  which  had 
been  on  deposit  in  the  land  office  at  Dixon,  and  this  was  the 
object  which  it  was  intended  to  accomplish  by  the  robbery  of 
the  stage  coach  at  this  time.  It  was  known  that  a  considerable 
sum  of  money,  which  had  been  received  from  the  sales  of  public 


WILLIAM  MULFORD  ROBBED.  183 

lands,  was  on  deposit  at  Dixon,  and  was  about  to  be  removed. 
A  leader  of  the  banditti  had  asked  the  receiver  when  he  intended 
to  go  to  Chicago,  where  the  deposit  was  to  be  made.  The 
receiver  was  a  prudent  man,  and  his  suspicions  were  aroused. 
He  therefore  replied  that  he  would  leave  Dixon  one  week  later 
than  he  really  intended  to  start ;  he  thus  baffled  the  plot  of  the 
robbers.  The  Rockford  Forum,  in  commenting  on  this  affair, 
said:  "What  renders  these  transactions  still  more  exciting  is, 
that  they  are  performed  by  those  who  are  perfect  scholars  in 
the  business  movements  of  the,  town/'  No  immediate  clue  to 
this  robbery  was  obtained . 

In  November,  1844,  William  Mulford,  residing  on  his  farm 
in  Guilford,  four  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Rockford,  on  the  Cherry 
Valley  road,  was  robbed  of  five  hundred  dollars  in  money.  It 
had  been  falsely  reported  that  Mr.  Mulford  had  received  about 
fourteen  thousand  dollars  a  short  time  before ;  and  this  rumor 
had  reached  the  robbers.  October  28th  a  man  who  gave  the 
name  of  Raines  called  on  Mr.  Mulford  and  professed  to  be  in 
search  of  employment.  His  real  purpose  was  to  obtain  money 
by  other  means  than  honest  toil ;  and  he  had  come  to  look  over 
the  premises.  On  Saturday, November 9th,  abouteight  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  three  masked  men,  armed  with  pistols,  knives  and 
clubs,  forced  an  entrance  into  the  house.  The  leader  ordered 
Mr.  Mulford  to  sit  down.  He  then  took  the  candle  from  the 
table,  cut  it  into  three  pieces,  lighted  them,  placed  one  in  each 
of  the  two  windows,  and  with  the  third  he  began  his  search  of 
the  house.  With  the  most  direful  threats  the  family  were  forced 
to  submission.  The  keys  to  the  bureau  drawers  were  demanded. 
They  were  told  that  they  were  in  the  stable  behind  the  horses. 
This  wa,s  a  ruse  to  give  Mr.  Mulford  an  opportunity  to  reach 
his  rifle  in  another  part  of  the  room.  When  the  men  went  to  the 
barn  he  attempted  to  reach  the  gun,  but  another  man,  who 
had  been  stationed  at  the  door,  held  a  pistol  close  to  his  head 
and  ordered  him  to  desist.  The  robbers  could  not  find  the  keys 
in  the  barn,  and  returned  in  a  rage  to  the  house.  They  swore 
they  would  "chain  the  old  devil,"  and  set  the  house  on  fire,  and 
by  that  time  they  would  tell  where  the  keys  were.  Mrs.  Mul- 
ford imagined  she  heard  the  clanking  of  chains,  and  told  the 
robbers  where  the  keys  could  be  found.  They  unlocked  the 
drawer  and  found  the  money  in  an  envelope,  just  as  it  had  been 
taken  from  the  bank.  One  of  the  gang  was  identified  as  Haines, 


184         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

who  had  called  in  search  of  employment.  It  was  subsequently 
learned  that  two  men,  armed  with  rifles,  stood  outside,  and 
for  their  benefit  the  candles  were  placed  at  the  windows. 

The  long  period  of  border  brigandage  reached  its  climax  in 
the  murder  of  Colonel  Davenport.  On  the  western  shore  of 
Rock  Island,  overlooking  the  main  branch  of  the  Mississippi, 
and  facing  the  Iowa  side,  fifty-five  years  ago  stood  a  beautiful 
residence.  For  more  than  thirty  years  it  had  been  the  home  of 
Colonel  George  Davenport.  He  was  generally  esteemed  for  his 
generous  impulses  and  social  qualities.  His  wealth  had  been 
acquired  as  an  Indian  trader.  Governor  Ford  gave  him  the 
credit  of  being  the  author  of  the  life  of  Black  Hawk  which  pur- 
ported to  be  the  Autobiography  of  the  old  warrior. 

On  Friday,  July  4,  1845,  Colonel  Davenport's  family  joined 
the  people  of  the  Illinois  mainland,  in  an  observance  of  the 
national  holiday.  While  alone  in  his  parlor,  Colonel  Davenport 
was  assaulted  by  three  men,  blindfolded,  pinioned  and  dragged 
up  a  flight  of  stairs  to  a  closet  containing  an  iron  safe.  The 
robbers  obtained  between  six  and  seven  hundred  dollars  in 
money ;  but  they  were  not  satisfied,  and  demanded  more.  The 
old  man  pointed  with  a  feeble  hand  to  a  dressing-table.  The 
murderers  missed  the  drawer  containing  the  money,  and  opened 
another,  in  which  they  found  nothing  of  value.  Believing  that 
their  victim  intended  to  deceive  them,  they  beat  and  choked  him 
until  he  became  unconscious.  They  revived  him  by  dashing 
cold  water  in  his  face,  and  again  demanded  more  money,  with 
the  same  result.  They  then  threatened  to  "fry  him  upon  coals 
of  fire"  if  he  did  not  disclose  the  hiding-place  of  his  money.  The 
old  Colonel  fell  back  exhausted,  unable  to  answer.  After  his 
assassins  left  he  regained  consciousness,  related  the  circum- 
stances of  the  assault,  and  died  about  nine  o'clock  of  the  same 
evening. 

Thus  far  the  perpetrators  of  these  bold  outrages  had  eluded 
capture.  But  Nemesis  wa,s  on  their  trail;  and  in  due  time  she 
will  summon  a  cloud  of  witnesses  to  bring  them  to  justice.  In 
the  spring  of  1845  Charles  West,  of  Lee  county,  was  arrested 
for  the  robbery  of  a  peddler  named  Miller,  and  a  portion  of  the 
goods  was  found  in  his  possession.  West  was  committed  to 
jail  at  Dixon,  and  during  his  confinement  he  proposed  to  turn 
state's  evidence,  and  disclose  all  he  knew  concerning  his  confed- 
erates. It  was  an  instance  where  "the  devil  was  sick,  the  devil 


TRIAL  OF  CHARLES  OLIVER.  185 

a  monk  would  be."  His  proposition  was  accepted,  and  West 
made  what  he  professed  to  be  a  full  confession,  and  declared 
that  Charles  Oliver  and  William  McDole,  of  Rockford,  were 
members  of  the  band.  He  also  gave  the  names  of  the  outlaws 
who  committed  the  robberies  at  McKenney's  store  and  Mulford 's 
farm-house. 

This  startling  intelligence  soon  reached  Rockford,  and  cre- 
ated great  excitement.  Upon  the  strength  of  West's  statemen  ts, 
Oliver  and  McDole  were  immediately  arrested,  and  an  officer 
was  dispatched  to  bring  West  to  Rockford,  to  give  his  testi- 
mony at  their  examination.  Oliver  and  McDole  were  given  a 
hearing  about  the  7th  of  June.  West  testified  that  he  was  at 
Oliver's  house  about  a  year  before,  when  the  plans  of  the  gang 
were  discussed  in  detail.  McDole  and  Sutton  were  also  present 
at  the  same  time.  McDole  and  Oliver  talked  about  a  pal  named 
Burch  in  connection  with  the  McKenney  robbery.  McDole  dis- 
covered where  the  money  was  kept,  and  Burch  entered  at  the 
window  and  obtained  the  booty.  In  the  proposed  raid  upon 
Mr.  Mulford,  Oliver  and  McDole  were  to  ascertain  the  situation 
of  the  house,  and  Burch  and  one  or  two  others  were  to  get  the 
money. 

Such,  in  brief,  was  the  testimony  given  by  West.  His  story 
was  generally  believed.  Oliver  and  McDole  were  required  to 
give  bail  in  the  sum  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars  each,  for  their 
appearance  at  the  next  term  of  court;  in  default  of  which  they 
were  committed  to  prison.  A  few  days  later  Bridge,  one  of  the 
leaders  of  the  banditti  residing  in  Ogle  county,  was  arrested  and 
placed  in  jail  at  Rockford.  A  guard  was  necessary  for  some 
time,  for  their  protection. 

The  trial  of  Oliver  began  in  the  circuit  court  August  26, 
1845.  His  indictment  was  for  receiving  money  stolen  from  Wil- 
liam Mulford,  in  November,  1844.  Hon.  Thomas  C.  Brown  was 
the  presiding  judge.  The  jurors  were :  Giles  Mabie,  Calvin  Has- 
kell,  J.  Heath,  Jr.,  George  Dixon,  Phineas  Howes,  Ezra  C.Tracy, 
Asa  Farnsworth,  Asa  Crosby,  Andrus  Corbin,  Harvey  Higby. 
There  was  an  unusual  display  of  legal  talent.  The  district 
attorney  was  James  M.  Loop.  He  was  assisted  by  Thomas  D. 
Robertson,  Jason  Marsh,  James  M.  Wight,  and  Miller  &  Miller. 
Martin  P.  Sweet,  of  Freeport,  and  M.  Y.  Johnson,  of  Galena, 
were  the  counsel  for  the  defendant.  Among  the  witnesses  on 
the  stand  were:  William  Mulford,  Charles  H.  Spafford,  G.  A. 
Sanford,  D.Howell,  E.S.  Blackstone,  William  J.  Mix,  of  Oregon, 


-.  ____  .  _ 

Charles  West,  of  Lee,  and  S.C.  Fuller,  the  jailer.  The  teat  named 
witness  testified  that  the  prisoners  tried  to  bribe  him  tofurmsh 
^wi^h  brace  and  bits  so  that  they  might  effect  their  escape^ 
Ea*  offered  Mr.  Fuller  fifty  dollars  at  first,  and  then  increased 
fhTsum  to  five  hundred.  Dnringthe  trial  Oliver  was  defiant 
and  confident  of  acquittal.  But  since  his  arrest  Retributwe 
Tnstice  had  been  forging  another  chain  of  convict.ng  evidence. 
JUCinK  tnTsumnfer  J^son  Marsh  had  received  a  letter  from 
the  warden  of  the  penitentiary  at  Jackson  - 


found  the  prisoner  to  be  Irving;  A.  Stearns,  who  had 

-       - 


ttitentiary  Thus  terminated  the  most  e^citmg  enm>nalcase 
^tried  in  Winnebago  county.  The  case  was  managed  ^w.th 
Treat  ability  on  both  sides.  The  argument  of  James  Loop  and 
fhetploitof  Jason  Marsh  have  become  familiar  tradition,  of 

ofvtnue  on  a,,  his  indictments  to  0B,e 


CONVICTION  OF  McDOLE.  187 

county.  When  his  case  was  called  he  plead  guilty,  and  was 
sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  seven  years.  McDole's  trial 
began  November  26,  1845,  and  the  case  was  given  to  the  jury 
December  1st.  After  an  all-night's  session  the  jury  brought  in 
a  verdict  of  guilty,  with  a  sentence  of  seven  years  in  the  peni- 
tentiary. The  attorneys  for  the  state  were  Marsh  &  Wight, 
Miller  &  Miller,  and  T.  D.  Robertson.  McDole  was  defended  by 
John  A.  Holland,  Grant  B.  Udell,  of  Rockford,  and  Martin  P. 
Sweet,  of  Freeport.  The  court  ordered  that  one  month  of  the 
term  of  imprisonment  be  spent  in  solitary  confinement. 

John  Long,  Aaron  Long,  and  Granville  Young  were  exe- 
cuted at  Rock  Island  in  October,  1845,  for  the  murder  of  Colonel 
Davenport.  This  execution  practically  completed  the  work  of 
extermination  which  had  been  begun  by  the  Ogle  County  Regu- 
lators on  Tuesday,  June  29,  1841. 

Burch  was  indicted  for  the  murder  of  Colonel  Davenport. 
He  took  a  change  of  venue  to  another  county,  and  made  his 
escape  from  jail.  The  three  Aikens  brothers  died  as  they  had 
lived,  although  they  escaped  the  penitentiary.  Bliss,  Dewey 
and  Sawyer,  confederates  in  Lee  county,  were  sent  to  the  peni- 
tentiary. Bliss  died  in  prison.  The  way  of  the  transgressor  is 
hard. 

The  Prairie  Bandits,  written  by  Edward  Bonney,  is  a  stir- 
ring tale  of  those  early  days.  Bonney  was  a  newspaper  man, 
who  did  some  detective  work.  His  book  was  first  printed  about 
fifty  years  ago,  and  there  have  been  several  subsequent  editions. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

TRANSPORTATION  :    NAVIGATION  OF  ROCK    RIVER—  ?LANK    ROADS. 

THE  early  settlers  foresaw  that  this  section  of  country  could 
not  become  prosperous  without  improved  facilities  for 
transportation.  At  that  time  the  navigation  of  Rock  river 
seemed  to  offer  the  most  feasible  solution  of  the  problem.  Jan- 
uary 11,  1840,  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Winnebago  county 
was  held  at  Rockford.  There  was  no  newspaper  in  the  town 
until  some  months  later,  and  the  only  report  of  the  convention 
was  published  in  John  Wentworth's  paper,  the  Chicago  Demo- 
crat, in  its  issue  of  February  12th.  The  purpose  of  the  meet- 
ing was  to  consider  the  expediency  of  asking  congress  for  a 
grant  of  unsold  land  in  the  valley  of  Rock  river,  the  proceeds  to 
be  applied  to  the  improvement  of  the  stream.  Dr.  Goodhue 
was  chosen  president ;  George  Stevens,  George  W.  Lee  and 
Charles  I  Horsman,  vice-presidents;  John  C.  Kern  ble,  secretary. 
Resolutions  were  introduced  by  George  W.  Lee,  and  unanimously 
adopted.  They  were  as  follows : 

Resolved,  That  the  increasing  commerce  of  the  lakes  and 
the  Mississippi  river  and  the  surplus  productions  of  the  Rock 
river  country  require  a  speedy  action  on  the  part  of  the  numer- 
ous population  settled  throughout  the  territory  lying  between 
Lake  Michigan  and  the  upper  Mississippi,  to  effect  the  removal 
of  the  obstructions  to  steamboat  navigation  in  Rock  river. 

Resolved,  That  the  interests  of  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  holding  in  its  control  the  great  portion  of  the 
unsold  lands  in  the  region  of  Rock  river,  are  essentially  con- 
nected with  those  of  the  people  in  effecting  the  navigation  of 
Rock  river  from  the  termination  of  the  Milwaukee  and  Rock 
river  canal  to  its  junction  with  the  Mississippi  river;  and  that 
such  an  improvement  will  increase  the  value  of  the  public 
domain  in  Iowa,  by  opening  to  that  territory  the  benefits  c 
an  eastern  market. 

Resolved,  That  application  be  made  to  the  congress  of  the 
United  States  for  the  appropriation  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  acres  of  the  public  lands,  the  proceeds  of  which  to  be 


THE  ROCKFORD  CONVENTION.  189 


applied  to  the  improvement  of  the  navigation  of  Rock  river, 
and  that  we  apply  for  the  same  to  be  selected  from  the  residue 
of  those  not  taken  up  by  the  settlers  or  other  purchasers  at  the 
government  land  sales,  and  within  twenty  miles  of  either  bank 
of  Rock  river. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  persons  be  appointed  by 
this  meeting  to  draft  a  memorial  to  congress,  embodying  the 
facts  necessary  to  sustain  the  views  expressed  in  the  above  reso- 
lutions, that  said  memorial  be  circulated  for  the  signatures  of 
citizens  residing  in  the  vicinity  of  Rock  river. 

Whereupon,  George  W.  Lee,  John  C.  Kemble,  Jason  Marsh, 
J.  B.  Miller  and  S.  C.  Fields  were  chosen  said  committee. 

Resolved,  That  we  earnestly  solicit  the  co-operation  of  the 
people  of  the  different  counties  in  Illinois,  and  those  of  the  ter- 
ritories of  Wisconsin  and  Iowa,  who  feel  interested  in  opening 
a  water  communication  (through  Rock  river)  between  the  lakes 
and  the  upper  Mississippi,  to  hold  meetings  and  circulate  memo- 
rials expressive  of  their  views,  and  embracing  the  objects  set 
forth  in  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting,  and  to  forward  the 
same  to  their  representatives  in  congress. 

Dr.  Goodhue,  George  W.  Briuckerhoff,  and  Daniel  S.  Haight 
were  chosen  a  committee  to  correspond  with  the  people  of  the 
counties  on  the  river  on  the  subject  of  the  resolutions. 

This  convention  did  not  lead  to  any  practical  results.  The 
agitation,  however,  was  continued  for  some  years.  February 
28,  1844,  the  Rockford  Forum  announced  that  the  steamboat 
Lighter  from  St.  Louis  would  ascend  Rock  river  on  the  opening 
of  navigation  in  the  spring.  Patronage  was  solicited ;  and  the 
Forum  advised  the  citizens  to  make  exchanges  of  grain  for 
provisions.  The  Lighter  arrived  in  Rockford  in  the  latter  part 
of  June.  On  the  1st  of  July  the  steamer  made  a  trip  to  Roscoe. 

The  visit  of  the  Lighter  renewed  the  interest  in  the  improve- 
ment of  the  river.  July  13th  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  court 
house  to  consider  the  subject.  Committees  were  appointed 
and  resolutions  adopted.  November  22,  1844,  a  river  conven- 
tion was  held  at  Sterling.  Delegates  were  present  from  Ogle, 
Winnebago,  Lee  and  Whiteside  counties.  William  Pollock, 
who  had  been  employed  to  make  a  survey,  presented  a  report. 
He  stated  that  he  had  made  an  examination  of  Rock  river  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Pecatonica  to  Sterling,  a  distance  of  about 
one  hundred  miles;  and  estimated  that  the  total  cost  of  remov- 
ing all  obstructions  between  these  points  at  four  thousand 


190          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

three  hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars  and  seventy -five  cents.  This 
was  an  insignificant  sum,  and  was  probably  far  below  what 
the  actual  cost  would  have  been.  The  general  government  had 
done  nothing  in  response  to  the  petition  sent  in  1840 ;  and  the 
assistance  of  the  state  legislature  was  invoked.  February  25, 

1845,  an  act  was  approved  for  the  improvement  of  Rock  river. 
Duncan  Ferguson,  of  Winnebago,  John  Dixon,  of  Lee,  Spooner 
Ruggles  and  William  W.  Fuller,  of  Ogle,  and  Theodore  Winn, 
of  Whiteside,  and  their  successors  were  made  a  body  politic  and 
corporate  under  the  name  of  the  "Board  of  Commissioners  for 
the  improvement  of  the  navigation  of  Rock  river."    The  com- 
missioners were  authorized  to  remove  all  the  obstructions  to 
steamboat  navigation  between  the  mouth  of  Pecatonica  river 
and  the  mouth  of  Rock  river.    For  the  purpose  of  creating  a 
fund  for  making  these  improvements,  it  was  provided  that  a  tax 
should  be  levied  for  the  year  1845,  of  seven  and  one-half  mills  on 
every  dollar's  worth  of  assessable  personal  property  in  Wiune- 
bago,  Ogle,  and  Lee  counties.    In  October,  1845,  operations 
were  actually  begun  at  Rockford,  under  the  direction  of  Alonzo 
Hall.    A  cofferdam  about  fifty  feet  wide  wa.s  built  through  the 
rapids.    A  wheel  at  the  lower  end,  propelled  by  the  current, 
baled  out  the  water.    A  steamboat  channel  was  excavated  in 
the  autumn  and  winter,  and  the  rock  piled  outside  the  dam. 
The  "improvement"  ruined  the  ford;  and  was  absolutely  use- 
less for  navigation,  as  the  rapids  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  in 
ordinary  stages  of  water  would  not  float  a  steamer.    Similar 
attempts  at  improvement  were  made  in  the  other  counties  dur- 
ing the  year.    The  money  which  remained  on  hand  after  these 
expenditures  was  to  be  refunded  pro  raba,  as  provided  by  the 
law,  to  the  counties  from  which  it  had  been  collected. 

This  failure,  however,  stimulated  further  effort.  The  pro- 
moters of  the  scheme  became  more  audacious  than  before.  Not 
only  was  it  decided  to  make  Rock  river  navigable  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Pecatonica;  it  was  now  also  proposed  to  seek  the  aid  of 
the  government  in  the  construction  of  a  ship  canal  which  should 
connect  Lake  Michigan  with  Mississippi  river.  January  1  and  2, 

1846,  a  ship  canal  convention  was  held  in  Rockford.  Delegates 
were  present  from  northern  Illinois  and  southern  Wisconsin. 
Martin  P.  Sweet,  of  Freeport,  said  this  section  needed  a  railroad 
to  the  east,  and  free  navigation  to  the  south,  so  that  the  people 
could  have  a  choice  of  markets.    He  believed  the  government 
should  aid  in  constructing  such  a  waterway.    A  committee  wag 


LATER  CONVENTIONS.  191 


appointed  to  draft  resolutions  expressing  the  sense  of  the  con- 
vention. 

On  Friday,  January  2d,  the  committee  presented  its  resolu- 
tions, which  were  unanimously  adopted.  It  was  declared  that 
in  the  judgment  of  the  convention,  the  project  of  connecting 
the  great  lakes  with  the  Mississippi  river  was  purely  national 
in  its  character ;  that  the  cheapest  and  best  mode  of  effecting 
this  communication  was  by  means  of  slack-water  navigation 
of  Rock  river,  and  by  a  properly  constructed  canal  connecting 
it  with  Lake  Michigan;  and  that  the  completion  of  this  work 
in  connecting  the  Atlantic  ports  on  the  east  with  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  on  the  south  would  form  a  strong  bond  which  would 
unite  more  firmly  the  north  and  the  south  for  mutual  defense. 
A  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  a  memorial  to  the  proper 
authorities  for  the  survey  of  the  route,  and  to  present  a  memo- 
rial to  congress,  praying  for  the  construction  of  a  ship  canal. 
Martin  P.  Sweet  was  made  chairman.  The  members  of  the 
committee  from  this  county  were  Jason  Marsh,  John  A.  Holland 
and  James  M.  Wight.  A  eommitteeof  fivefromeach  county  was 
also  chosen  to  obtain  an  expression  of  public  sentiment  con- 
cerning the  project.  The  members  of  the  committee  from  Win- 
bago  were  C.  I.  Horsman,  S.  M.  Church,  William  Hulin,  Robert 
J.  Cross,  Alonzo  Hall. 

Ship-canals,  however,  are  not  constructed  by  resolution, 
and  the  usual  results  followed.  In  the  winter  of  1865-66  the 
subject  was  revived,  and  February  22d  a  convention  was  held  at 
Rockford.  Letters  were  read  from  General  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut,  of 
Belvidere,  Hon.  JohnF.Farnsworth,  and  others.  Another  con- 
vention was  held  at  Beloit  March  15th.  But  better  railroad  facili- 
ties had  by  that  time  indefinitely  delayed,  if  not  forever  defeated 
the  construction  of  an  inter-state  waterway.  Had  it  not  been 
for  the  ad-vent  of  the  railroad,  the  improved  navigation  of  Rock 
river  would  in  time  have  been  recognized  as  a  public  necessity. 
In  the  autumn  of  1899  the  subject  was  again  considered  by  the 
citizens  of  Rockford  and  those  residing  along  the  course  of  the 
river ;  but  up  to  February,  1900,  no  definite  results  had  been 
accomplished. 

The  improvement  of  navigation  facilities  was  not  the  only 
means  by  which  the  settlers  sought  relief  from  imperfect  trans- 
portation. Chicago  was  the  nearest  grain  market.  The  only 
communication  with  that  city  was  by  stage  and  wagon.  In 


192  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNT*. 

the  spring  and  autumn  months,  when  the  deep  soil  of  the  prai- 
ries was  saturated  with  water,  the  journeys  were  slow  and 
tedious.  A  farmer  who  had  drawn  a  load  of  produce  to  Chicago 
often  received  a  discouraging  margin  of  profit.  A  charter  had 
been  obtained  in  1836  for  a  railroad  between  Chicago  and 
Galena.  The  county,  however,  was  thinly  populated,  and  the 
people  were  too  poor  to  make  subscriptions.  Moreover,  eastern 
capitalists  had  little  confidence  in  the  future  of  Illinois.  The 
state  was  burdened  with  debt ;  and  many  of  the  people  openly 
advocated  repudiation.  This  uncertainty  about  a  railroad 
continued  more  than  ten  years.  Meanwhile  the  citizens  were 
considering  other  plans.  In  1844  preliminary  surveys  were 
made  for  a  plank  road  from  Chicago  to  Rockford. 

A  committee  of  citizens  residing  on  the  proposed  route 
was  held  at  Elgin  September  20, 1844.  This  committee  had  been 
chosen  to  collect  facts  relating  to  plank  roads,  and  to  furnish 
estimates  of  cost.  J.  Young  Scammon,  of  Chicago,  and  Jason 
Marsh  were  members  of  this  committee.  Edward  B.  Talcott, 
an  experienced  engineer,  was  sent  by  the  committee  to  Canada 
to  examine  the  plank  roads  there  in  use,  and  to  ascertain  their 
cost  and  manner  of  construction.  On  the  19th  of  November 
the  committee  submitted  its  report,  also  a  detailed  statement 
prepared  by  Mr.  Talcott.  He  estimated  the  cost  of  the  road 
at  three  hundred  and  twelve  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
thirty-one  dollars  and  twenty-nine  cents.  Public  meetings  were 
held  along  the  line. 

January  21, 1845,  the  Chicago  and  Rock  River  Plank  Road 
Company  was  incorporated  by  special  act.  The  commissioners 
appointed  to  receive  subscriptions  in  Belvidere  and  Rockford 
were  Alexander  Neely,  Lyman  Downs,  Joel  Walker,  Daniel 
Howell,  C.  I.  Horsman  and  Jason  Marsh.  Among  the  commis- 
sioners from  Chicago  was  Walter  L.  Newberry,  who  became  the 
founder  of  the  magnificent  Newberry  reference  library  in  Chi- 
cago. The  corporation  was  given  absolute  right  of  way,  with 
power  to  institute  condemnation  proceedings  when  necessary 
for  the  purchase  of  land.  The  demand  for  plank  roads  became 
general  throughout  the  state;  and  in  February,  1849,  an  act 
was  passed  for  the  construction  of  plank  roads  under  a  general 
law. 

Mr.  Colton,  in  his  Forum,  discouraged  the  construction  of 
a  plank  road  from  Chicago  to  Rockford.  He  said  eastern  capi- 
tal could  not  be  secured  for  such  a  doubtful  enterprise ;  and 


FAILURE  OF  THE  PLANK  ROAD.  193 

predicted  that  "sooner  far  could  it  be  obtained  for  a  railroad 
on  the  same  ground,  and  we  fully  believe  that  one  will  be  built 
before  a  plank  one  will  be  completed."  Public  sentiment 
showed  that  Mr.  Colton  was  a  prophet  without  honor  in  his 
own  country;  but  time  vindicated  his  claim  to  the  gift  of 
prophecy.  No  plank  road  was  constructed,  under  the  provis- 
ions of  the  charter.  The  thunder  of  the  iron  horse  was  heard 
in  the  distance;  the  day  of  the  railroad  was  at  hand. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

NEW  ENGLAND  UNITARIANISM. — FIRST  CHURCH.— REV.  A.H.CONANT. 

A  NUMBER  of  the  early  settlers  from  New  England  were 
Unitarians  of  the  old  school.  An  effort  to  organize  this 
sentiment  was  made  as  early  as  1841.  The  first  meeting  for 
this  purpose  was  held  February  3d.  A  subscription  list  of  this 
date  was  found  among  the  papers  of  the  late  Francis  Burnap. 
It  contained  pledges  amounting  to  one  hundred  and  sixty  dol- 
lars for  the  support  of  a  Unitarian  clergyman.  At  the  same 
time  a  committee  was  appointed  to  promote  this  interest.  An 
adjourned  meeting  was  held  on  the  13th  at  the  West  side  school- 
house,  and  an  organization  completed.  Richard  Montague, 
Isaac  N.  Cunningham,  Francis  Burnap,  Ephraim  Wyman  and 
James  M.  Wight  were  elected  trustees.  A  statute  of  1835  con- 
cerning Religious  Societies  provided  that  immediately  after  an 
election  of  trustees,  a  certificate  of  the  same  should  be  filed  for 
record  with  the  recorder  of  the  county.  The  filing  of  such  rec- 
ord constituted  the  trustees  a  body  corporate  and  politic.  The 
trustees  complied  with  this  law.  The  Rock  River  Express  of 
February  20th  announced  that  Rev.  Joseph  Harrington  would 
preach  at  the  court  house  on  the  following  Sunday. 

There  is  no  record  of  any  progress  during  the  next  two  years, 
and  it  may  be  concluded  that  there  was  only  an  occasional 
preaching  service.  Early  in  March,  1843,  Rev.  Joseph  Har- 
rington, of  Chicago,  came  to  Rockford  and  preached  every  even- 
ing  of  one  week  on  the  distinctive  doctrines  of  Unitarianism. 
The  meetings  were  well  attended,  and  a  new  interest  awakened. 
On  the  following  Sunday,  March  9th,  a  church  was  organized, 
with  the  following  covenant :  "We  whose  names  are  subscribed, 
do  unite  ourselves  together  in  Christian  fellowship  to  partake 
of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  to  receive  the  spiritual  benefit  that 
may  be  derived  from  membership  with  Christ's  visible  church 
on  earth.  And  may  God  grant  his  Spirit  to  help  our  manifold 
infirmities,  and  lead  us  in  heart  and  in  practice  unto  him  who  is 
the  'way,  the  truth  and  the  life.' "  This  language  is  decidedly 


THE  FIRST  EDIFICE.  195 


evangelical  in  spirit.  It  is  Unitarianism  as  interpreted  by  Wil- 
liam Ellery  Channing  and  James  Freeman  Clarke.  It  differs 
little  from  the  progressive  orthodoxy  of  today.  The  constit- 
uent members  of  the  church  were :  Joseph  Harrington,  Sarah 
F.  Dennis,  Isaac  N.  Cunningham,  Nancy  G.  Cunningham,  James 
Cunningham,  Sarah  M.  Cunningham,  Samuel  Cunningham, 
Emily  C.  Cunningham,  John  Paul,  R.  B.  Paul,  W.  D.  Bradford, 
Catherine  F.  Goodhue,  Ephraim  Wyman,  James  M.  Wight,  John 
R.  Kendall,  Susan  Goodrich. 

In  December,  1844,  steps  were  taken  to  secure  a  place  of 
worship.  It  was  proposed  to  purchase  the  unfinished  Univer- 
salist  church,  which  had  been  abandoned.  Several  hundred 
dollars  in  subscriptions,  conditional  and  otherwise,  were  raised, 
besides  a  sum  for  an  organ.  These  subscription  lists  are  still 
in  existence.  But  the  project  was  not  successful.  Another  unsuc- 
cessful effort  was  made  to  build  in  1846. 

December  13,  1845,  the  Unitarian  society  was  organized 
at  the  home  of  Ephraim  Wyman.  The  trustees  chosen  were 
Ephraim  Wyman,  Thatcher  Blake,  and  Richard  Montague. 

For  a  number  of  years  little  was  done.  The  church  had 
services  whenever  a  traveling  clergyman  was  available.  This 
condition  continued  until  1849,  when  Rev.  H.  Snow  volunteered 
to  strengthen  the  waste  places  in  this  branch  of  Zion.  The 
Unitarians  were  not  sanguine,  and  at  first  Mr.  Snow  received 
little  encouragement.  But  a  new  start  was  made.  The  church 
had  hitherto  held  services  in  the  court  house;  but  now  they  felt 
the  need  of  another  place.  The  frame  building  which  had  been 
used  by  the  First  Baptist  church  was  for  sale.  This  old  edifice 
may  well  be  called  a  church  cradle.  It  successively  rocked  the 
Baptists,  Episcopalians,  Unitarians  and  Presbyterians.  It  was 
an  illustration  of  the  common  origin  of  all  believers  who  belong 
to  the  true  household  of  faith.  At  this  time  the  Unitarians 
owned  a  lob  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Church  and  Elm  streets. 
They  had  received  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  from  the  Amer- 
ican Unitarian  Association,  and  with  this  they  purchased  the 
old  Baptist  building,  which  they  removed  upon  their  lot.  For 
about  a  year  Mr.  Snow  preached  two  Sundays  in  the  month, 
and  the  other  Sundays  at  Belvidere.  Mr.  Snow  invited  Rev.  A. 
A.  Livermore,  who  was  then  at  Keene,  New  Hampshire,  to  act 
the  generous  Christian  part  by  presenting;  a  communion  service 
to  the  church.  The  ladies  of  Mr.  Keene's  church  complied  with 
the  request. 


196         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

Mr.  Snow's  health  failed  in  the  spring  of  1850,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  resign  from  his  pastorate.  He  had  been  faithful  in 
his  efforts  to  lay  an  enduring  foundation.  Mr.  Snow  applied  to 
the  American  Unitarian  Association,  and  to  Dr.  Hosmer,  an 
eminent  divine  and  educator,  to  send  a  successor.  Dr.  Hosmer 
sent  John  M.  Windsor,  who  had  recently  graduated  from  the 
Unitarian  school  at  Meadville,  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Windsor 
devoted  his  entire  attention  to  the  Rockford  church,  and  gave 
one  sermon  each  Sunday.  About  this  time  the  accession  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Melancthon  Starr  inspired  the  congregation  with  new 
energy  and  courage. 

The  church  enjoyed  a  fair  degree  of  prosperity  for  several 
years.  In  1853  it  was  proposed  to  build  a  more  comfortable 
place  of  worship.  A  lot  was  purchased  on  the  corner  of  Chest- 
nut and  Church  streets,  and  generous  subscriptions  were  secured. 
Mr.  Windsor  was  sent  east  to  solicit  contributions  from  the 
Unitarians  of  New  York  and  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Windsor  went 
to  New  York  early  in  the  spring  of  1854  to  collect  the  promised 
money,  and  never  returned.  Work  was  begun  on  the  new  church 
in  the  same  spring.  The  plan  of  the  edifice  was  that  of  the 
Episcopal  church  in  Beloit,  with  some  changes  and  better  work- 
manship. 

In  the  autumn  of  1854,  when  the  pulpit  had  become  vacant, 
the  society,  through  Mr.  Starr,  began  correspondence  with 
John  Murray,  who  had  just  graduated  from  Meadville.  This 
gentleman  was  engaged  as  a  stated  supply  for  six  months  from 
the  first  of  October,  with  a  view  to  a  call  to  the  pastorate  if  it 
should  be  mutually  agreeable.  Mr.  Murray  began  his  labors 
at  the  time  stated.  Mr.  Crawford,  the  contractor,  had  agreed 
to  have  the  new  church  ready  for  occupancy  early  in  October. 
On  the  strength  of  this  promise,  the  old  church  cradle  had  been 
previously  sold  to  the  Presbyterians,  possession  to  be  given 
December  1st.  The  church  kept  its  promise,  but  the  contractor 
did  not;  and  the  services  were  held  in  Dr.  Haskell'sschoolhouee 
for  a  time.  Before  the  expiration  of  the  six  months  Mr.  Murray 
had  accepted  an  invitation  to  remain  a  year.  Upon  the  com- 
pletion of  the  church,  the  Rockford  Amateurs  gave  a  vocal  and 
instrumental  concert  in  Warner's  hall,  to  aid  in  its  furnishing. 
About  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  were  realized.  A  Unitarian 
church  in  Chicago  sent  two  massive  chandeliers,  pulpit  and  gal- 
lery lamps,  a  pulpit  sofa  and  a  Bible.  A  melodeon  had  been 
previously  purchased. 


NEW  CHURCH  DEDICATED.  197 

The  church  was  dedicated  April  18,  1855.  Friends  came 
from  Chicago,  Geneva  and  Belvidere.  Rev.  Rush  R.  Shippen,  of 
Chicago,  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon.  On  Sunday,  May 
6th,  a  Sunday-school  was  organized,  with  twenty-five  scholars, 
with  Rev.  H.  Snow  as  superintendent.  On  Sunday,  July  let, 
the  Lord's  supper  was  celebrated,  after  a  long  interval.  In 
December  a  new  declaration  of  faith  and  purpose  and  articles 
of  organization  were  adopted. 

Rev.  John  Murray's  pastorate  closed  on  the  last  Sunday  in 
March,  1857.  The  pulpit  was  supplied  by  Rev.  Addison  Brown, 
Rev.  W.  W.  King,  and  Rev.  L.  B.  Watson.  The  latter  two  were 
Universalist  clergymen  of  Chicago. 

June  8,  1857,  a  call  to  the  pastorate  was  sent  to  the  Rev. 
Augustus  H.  Conant,  of  Geneva,  Illinois.  Mr.  Conant,  though 
highly  esteemed  in  his  parish,  had  given  offense  to  some  by  his 
radical  utterances  against  slavery.  He  therefore  promptly 
accepted  the  call,  at  a  salary  of  one  thousand  dollars,  with  cer- 
tain privileges  of  vacation  for  missionary  work  Sunday  after- 
noons during  a  part  of  the  year.  Rev.  Conant  began  his  pastoral 
work  July  12, 1857.  The  congregation  then  numbered  about 
seventy.  He  purchased  a  home  of  Mr.  Cosper,  on  the  corner  of 
Green  and  West  streets,  for  three  thousand  and  five  hundred 
dollars.  This  residence  is  still  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Miss 
Coretta  Conant,  and  his  granddaughter,  Miss  Louise  Conant, 
instructor  in  art  and  history  of  art  at  Rockford  college. 

Mr.  Conant  enjoyed  an  extended  personal  acquaintance 
among  distinguished  representatives  of  the  Unitarian  faith,  and 
other  cotemporaries.  Among  these  were  William  Ellery  Chan- 
ning,  Theodore  Parker,  James  Freeman  Clarke,  Horace  Greeley, 
0.  B.  Frothingham,  Margaret  Fuller,  Fred  Douglas,  and  Robert 
Collyer.  Among  Rev.  Conant's  guests  at  his  Rockford  home 
were  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  Prof.  Youmans,  Bayard  Taylor, 
Tom  Corwin,  John  Piorpont,  a,nd  T.  Starr  King.  James  Free- 
man Clarke,  in  his  Autobiography,  refers  to  Rev.  Conant  as  a 
"saint  and  an  apostle." 

Augustus  Hammond  Conant  was  born  October  16, 1811,  at 
Brandon,  Vermont.  When  a  young  man  he  left  his  native  state 
and  settled  as  a  farmer  on  the  Des  Plaines  river,  in  Cook  county, 
Illinois.  His  parents  were  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  and 
he  was  baptized  into  that  fellowship  before  he  came  to  Illinois. 
One  day  he  entered  the  store  of  the  Clarke  Brothers,  in  Chicago, 
where  he  saw  a  copy  of  the  Western  Messenger.  He  became 


198         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFOBD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

interested  in  the  paper,  and  he  was  given  several  copies  to  take 
home.  These  Clarkes  owned  a  book-store  in  Chicago,  and  were 
brothers  of  James  Freeman  Clarke,  who  was  then  the  editor  of 
the  Messenger.  Upon  reading  these  papers,  Mr.  Conant  resolved 
to  consecrate  his  life  to  the  ministry.  Mr.  Conarit  kept  a  jour- 
nal of  his  daily  life  as  a  pioneer  farmer  from  January  1,  1836, 
to  the  latter  part  of  May,  1840.  It  presents  in  brief  a  vivid 
picture  of  life  on  the  frontier,  as  lived  by  an  ambitious  young 
man  who  was  obliged  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world,  and 
at  the  same  time  prepare  himself  for  the  ministry.  Brief  quota- 
tions will  tell  the  story.  Under  date  of  September  28,  1836, 
and  later,  he  writes :  "  Worked  at  shoemaking  ;  made  a  coffin 
for  H.  Dougherty;  plastered  my  house;  dressed  pig  and  calves 
torn  by  wolves;  dug  a  well;  killed  a  badger;  killed  a  wolf ;  corn 
half  destroyed  by  blackbirds ;  set  out  shade  trees ;  read  Cow- 
per ;  took  up  a  bee- tree  to  hive  for  honey ;  hunted  a  deer ;  snow 
a  foot  deep;  attended  a  Christmas  party." 

Mr.  Conant  returned  east  May  25,  1840,  and  began  study 
at  the  Cambridge  divinity  school,  under  Prof.  Henry  Ware,  Jr. 
After  finishing  his  course  Mr.  Conant  began  his  ministry  in  1841 
at  Geneva,  Illinois,  where  he  preached  sixteen  years.  A  pamphlet 
entitled  Fifty  Years  of  Unitarian  Life,  gives  a  pleasant  picture  of 
Mr.  Conant's  pastoral  life  at  Geneva.  The  pamphlet  is  a  record 
of  the  celebration  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  Unitarian 
church  at  Geneva.  His  journal  kept  during  this  time  is  a  reve- 
lation of  the  man  and  of  his  time.  Under  date  of  January  7, 
1842,  and  later,  he  writes:  "Read  Neander;  made  a  chair; 
worked  on  a  sermon ;  drew  straw ;  Read  Neander;  horse  died; 
mended  a  pump;  read  Bushnell;  read  the  Methodist  discipline; 
helped  my  wife  to  wash;  worked  on  a  sermon ;  made  benches 
for  the  school ;  finished  sermon;  made  soap." 

The  church  at  Rockford  prospered  under  Mr.  Conant's  min- 
istry for  a  time.  He  was  a  man  of  high  ideals  and  noble  enthu- 
siasms, and  was  filled  with  the  missionary  spirit.  Rev.  Robert 
Collyer  said  of  him:  "He  was  as  quick  to  leap  to  the  appeal  of 
a  crippled  cobbler,  and  as  strong  to  save  him,  as  if  the  Master 
had  come  out  of  heaven  to  bid  him  do  it,  and  had  told  him  he 
should  have  for  his  deed  an  endless  renown,  and  the  praises  of  all 
the  choirs  of  heaven."  But  there  came  a  serious  declension 
in  the  financial  and  numerical  strength  of  the  church.  In  July, 
1861,  the  reliable  income  of  the  society  had  fallen  to  four  hun- 
dred dollars  a  year,  and  six  months' salary  was  due  the  pastor. 


MR.  CONANT  AN  ARMY  CHAPLAIN.-HIS  DEATH.  1»9 

Some  of  the  former  members  had  removed  from  the  city,  and 
others  had  been  overtaken  with  financial  reverses.  Under  these 
circumstances,  Mr.  Conant  tendered  his  resignation  to  take 
effect  the  first  Sunday  in  July,  1861. 

The  civil  war  had  now  begun,  and  Mr.  Conant  enlisted  in 
his  country's  service  immediately  after  his  resignation.  He 
went  to  the  front  as  a  chaplain  in  the  Nineteenth  Illinois  volun- 
teer infantry.  Among  the  privates  of  this  regiment  was  Thomas 
G.  Lawler.  Mr.  Conant  had  so  me  controversy  while  in  camp  at 
Elizabethtown,  Kentucky,  with  Dwight  L.  Moody,  who  had 
been  sent  out  by  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associatian  of 
Chicago.  At  Nashville,  February  8,  1863,  Mr.  Conant  passed 
from  earth  to  "bathe  his  weary  soul  in  seas  of  heavenly  rest." 
His  death  was  due  to  exposure  and  over-exertion  at  the  battle 
of  Murfreesborough.  His  death  was  universally  lamented.  He 
was  one  of  those  rare  souls  whom  every  one  loved,  and  who  had 
never  incurred  an  unkind  feeling  from  any  one.  At  his  death 
a  soldier  in  the  ranks  paid  him  this  tribute:  "The  brave  and 
noble  chaplain,  who  never  turned  aside  for  bullet  or  shell,  but 
where  balls  flew  thick  and  fast  sought  out  the  wounded  and 
ministered  to  their  wants,  is  dead.  Never  while  I  live  can  I 
forget  him  as  I  saw  him  on  the  field,  with  his  red  flag  suspended 
on  a  ramrod,  marching  fearlessly  to  the  relief  of  the  suffering; 
appearing  to  the  wounded  like  a  ministering  angel.  When  we 
said,  'Chaplain,  you  must  rest  or  you  will  die,'  he.  always 
replied,  'I  cannot  rest,  boys,  while  you  suffer;  if  I  die,  I  will  die 
helping  you."  His  remains  were  buried  at  Geneva,  and  Rev. 
Robert  Colly er,  then  of  Chicago,  preached  the  funeral  discourse. 
Dr.  Collyer  subsequently  wrote  a  biography  of  Mr.  Conant,  with 
the  title,  A  Man  in  Earnest.  Mrs.  Conant  died  March  20,  1898, 
in  her  eightieth  year.  Her  remains  were  taken  to  Geneva  for 
interment. 

After  Mr.  Conant's  resignation,  services  were  maintained 
with  some  regularity ;  but  the  church  gradually  declined.  Fred 
May  Holland  began  pastoral  labors  January  4,  1863.  Differ- 
ences arose.  The  conservative  element  became  dissatisfied  with 
the  pastor  on  account  of  his  radical  or  "Parkerite"  tendencies. 
Mr.  Holland  was  succeeded  by  William  G.  Nowell,  who  was 
ordained  April  14, 1864.  Mr.  Nowell  left  the  church  in  June,  1865. 
Thelast  pastor  was  Rev.  D.  M.  Reed,  a  very  scholarly  gentleman. 
Mr.  Reed  wished  some  recognition  of  his  denomination  in  the 
name  of  the  church.  In  accordance  with  his  request,  the  name 


200        \HISTORT  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WJNNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

was  changed  to  the  United  Unitarian  and  Universalist  church. 
The  name,  however,  in  legal  matters  was  simply  Unitarian. 
The  church  was  subsequently  sold,  and  in  1890  the  proceeds 
were  divided  pro  rata  among  the  original  subscribers.  The  late 
Melancthon  Starr  was  known  to  have  contributed  four  thousand 
dollars.  Many  of  the  members  of  the  church  united  with  the 
Church  of  the  Christian  Union,  and  others  became  identified 
with  the  Second  Congregational  church.  The  old  church  was 
last  used  as  a  furniture  warehouse. 

The  history  of  American  Unitarianism  has  been  unique.  Its 
birthplace  was  Boston,  and  the  time  about  1812.  It  was  a 
natural  reaction  from  the  stern  Calvinistic  theology.  The  golden 
age  of  American  letters  was  cotemporary  with  the  rise  of  Uni- 
tarianism. Its  influence  in  literature  is  attested  by  the  names 
of  Channing,  Margaret  Fuller,  Alcott,  Dwight,  Elizabeth  Pea- 
body  and  Emerson.  In  criticism  are  the  names  of  Whipple, 
Ripley,  Ticknor  and  Lowell.  In  history  are  Palfrey,  Bancroft, 
Prescott  and  Motley.  In  statesmanship  and  oratory  are  the 
elder  and  the  younger  Adams,  Daniel  Webster,  Ed  ward  Everett, 
Charles  Sumner,  and  George  William  Curtis.  In  poetry  there 
are  Bryant,  Lowell,  Longfellow  and  Holmes.  Notwithstanding 
this  remarkable  list  of  men  and  women  of  genius,  the  Unitarian 
church  has  always  been  weak  in  numbers.  In  Chicago  there  are 
only  three  churches,  while  there  are  more  than  one  hundred  of 
the  Methodist  faith.  The  Unitarian  church  has  been  a  leavening 
rather  than  an  original  constructive  force.  It  has  not  been  too 
intellectual,  but  it  has  been  too  exclusively  intellectual.  The 
final  test  of  a  religious  faith  or  creed  is  its  inherent  spiritual 
energy.  The  dynamic  force  of  religion  is  devotion  to  a  Person. 
Perchance  the  contribution  of  Unitarianism  to  religious  history 
is  in  its  illustration  of  the  truth  that  the  purest  religion  is  not 
merely  a  system  of  ethics,  however  noble;  but  an  enthusiasm, 
a  passion.  Many  Unitarian  leaders  have  realized  this  truth, 
although  the  rank  and  file  of  the  laity  have  not  done  so.  In 
integrity  and  high  character,  the  Unitarian  church  of  Rockford 
was  a  worthy  representative  of  Unitarianism;  but  it  shared  the 
fate  of  many  of  its  sister  churches. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

EARLY  ELECTIONS.— POLITICAL  REMINISCENCES. 

UNDER  the  first  constitution  of  Illinois,  the  commissioners, 
sheriff  and  coroner  were  the  only  constitutional  county 
officers.  The  latter  two  were  elected  every  two  years.  The 
other  county  officers  were  created  by  statute.  They  were  filled 
by  appointment  made  either  by  the  county  commissioners' 
court  or  by  the  governor.  Previous  to  1835  a  recorder  for 
each  county  was  appointed  by  the  governor;  and  a  surveyor 
was  chosen  by  the  commissioners'  court.  The  statute  of  1835 
made  these  officers  elective  on  the  first  Monday  in  August  of 
that  year,  and  every  fourth  year  thereafter.  Previous  to  1837 
county  treasurers  and  clerks  of  the  commissioners'  courts  were 
appointed  by  said  courts.  An  act  approved  February  7th  of 
that  year  made  these  offices  elective  on  the  first  Monday  in 
the  following  August,  on  a  corresponding  day  in  1839,  and  in 
every  fourth  year  thereafter.  Up  to  1837  a  judge  of  probate 
was  appointed  for  each  county  by  the  legislature.  An  act  of 
March  4th  made  this  office  elective,  with  the  title  of  probate 
justice  of  the  peace,  on  the  first  Monday  in  August  of  that  year, 
on  a  corresponding  date  in  1839,  and  in  every  fourth  year 
thereafter.  Under  an  act  approved  February  27,  1845,  the 
tenure  of  office  of  probate  justice  of  the  peace,  recorder,  clerk  of 
the  county  commissioners'  court,  surveyor  and  treasurer  was 
reduced  to  two  years.  This  law  took  effect  on  the  first  Monday 
in  August,  1847.  Under  the  constitution  of  1848  the  term  of 
office  of  the  county  and  circuit  clerks  was  extended  to  four  years. 
August  1, 1836,  occurred  the  first  general  election  in  Win- 
nebago  county.  The  choice  of  county  officers  was  given  in  a 
preceding  chapter.  On  that  day  there  were  also  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  congress  and  two  representatives  in  the  state  legislature. 
Under  the  apportionment  of  1831  the  state  was  divided  into 
three  congressional  districts.  In  1836  the  third  district,  which 
included  Winnebago  county,  extended  from  the  Wisconsin  bound- 
ary to  a  line  below  Springfield,  and  entirely  across  the  state 


203          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

from  east  to  west.  The  northern  half  of  the  state  was  sparsely 
settled,  and  comprised  one  congressional  district.  At  the  first 
election  in  this  county  William  L.  May,  the  Democratic  candi- 
date for  congress,  received  seventy-three  votes,  and  John  T. 
Stuart,  forty-four  votes;  a  majority  for  May  of  "twenty-nine 
votes.  Mr.  May  was  elected  and  served  two  years.  His  home 
was  at  Springfield. 

Previous  to  1840  the  senatorial  district  of  which  Winnebago 
formed  a  part,  included  the  entire  Rock  river  valley,  as  well  as 
a  large  tract  below  the  mouth  of  Rock  river.  This  vast  area, 
extending  from  Dubuque  almost  to  St.  Louis,  was  entitled  to 
one  senator  and  two  representatives  in  the  legislature.  The 
first  election  in  Winnebago  county  for  representatives  resulted 
as  follows :  John  Turner,  seventy-four  votes ;  Charles  R.  Ben- 
nett, seventy-three;  Elijah  Charles,  thirty-four;  James  Craig, 
forty;  L.  H.  Bowen,  eight.  JamesCraigand  Elijah  Charles  were 
elected. 

Under  an  early  statute,  presidential  elections  in  Illinois  were 
held  on  the  first  Monday  in  November.  At  the  presidential 
election  in  1836,  only  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  votes  were 
polled.  This  was  an  increase  over  the  August  election  of  thirty- 
eight  votes.  The  Harrison  electors  received  seventy  votes,  and 
the  Van  Buren  electors,  eigh ty -eight ;  a  Democratic  majority  of 
eighteen. 

In  ]  837  Harvey  W.  Bundy  was  elected  recorder,  to  succeed 
Daniel  H.  Whitney,  of  Belvidere,  who  had  become  a  resident  of 
the  new  county  of  Boone.  Herman  B.  Potter  was  elected  county 
commissioner  to  succeed  Simon  P.  Doty,  of  Belvidere.  Charles 
I.  Horsman  was  elected  probate  justice  of  the  peace.  Milton 
Kilburn  had  served  as  judge  of  probate  the  preceding  year, 
under  appointment.  Nathaniel  Loomis  was  chosen  clerk  of  the 
commissioners'  court;  Robert  J.  Cross  was  elected  county 
treasurer. 

At  the  general  August  election  in  1838,  John  T.  Stuart,  of 
Springfield,  was  the  Whig  candidate  for  member  of  congress. 
His  Democratic  opponent  was  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  who  was 
also  of  Springfield.  Mr.  Stuart  received  a  majority  of  ninety- 
three  in  Winnebago  county,  and  was  elected.  Mr.  Stuart  was 
perhaps  the  first  prominent  man  to  recognize  the  genius  of 
Abraham  Lincoln,  and  by  the  loan  of  books  he  had  encouraged 
him  to  study  law.  Mr.  Lincoln,  after  his  admission  to  the  bar 
in  1837,  became  the  law  partner  of  his  benefactor.  When  Mr. 


PRESIDENTIAL  CAMPAIGN  OF  1840.  203 

Stuart  began  to  receive  political  honors,  he  necessarily  gave 
less  attention  to  his  profession.  Thus  the  conduct  of  the  busi- 
ness largely  devolved  upon  Mr.  Lincoln. 

Winnebago  county  forged  so  rapidly  to  the  front  that  in 
1838  it  was  conceded  one  of  the  representatives  in  the  general 
assembly,  and  Germanicus  Kent  was  elected.  Hon.  James  Craig 
was  re-elected.  Isaac  N.  Cunningham  was  elected  sheriff  of  the 
county;  Cyrus  C.  Jenks,  coroner;  Don  Alonzo  Spaulding, 
surveyor;  Elijah  H.  Brown,  commissioner. 

In  1839  William  E.  Dunbar  was  elected  recorder;  and  John 
Emerson,  surveyor. 

The  presidential  campaign  of  1840  was  one  of  the  most  excit- 
ing in  American  political  history.  The  hero  of  Tippecanoe  was 
the  idol  of  his  party,  and  no  leader  ever  received  a  more  enthu- 
siastic support.  Winnebago  county  had  now  become  a  Whig 
stronghold,  and  the  party  waged  an  aggressive  campaign 
against  the  Loco-Focos,  as  the  Democrats  were  then  called. 
April  llth  the  Whigs  held  a  convention  at  Rockford,  and  nom- 
inated a  full  county  ticket.  Among  the  local  leaders  of  this 
party  were  Selden  M.  Church,  Jacob  Miller,  H.  B.  Potter,  G. 
A.  Sauford,  Isaac  N.  Cunningham.  Democratic  principles  were 
championed  by  Jason  Marsh,  Daniel  S.  Haight,  Henry  Thurs- 
ton,  P.  Knappen,  J.  C.  Goodhue,  H.  W.  Loomis,C.  I.  Horsman. 
Boone  county  had  been  organized  from  the  eastern  portion  of 
Winnebago,  and  the  western  two  ranges  had  been  transferred 
to  Stephenson.  In  the  August  elections  the  Whigs  polled  six 
hundred  and  thirty-seven  votes,  and  the  Democrats,  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty-five.  The  total  vote  was  nine  hundred  and 
twenty-two,  with  a  Whig  majority  of  three  hundred  and  fifty- 
two.  Thomas  Drummond,  of  Jo  Daviess,  and  Hiram  Thorn  ton, 
of  Mercer,  both  Whigs,  carried  the  county  by  good  majorities 
for  representative,  and  were  elected.  I.  N.  Cunningham  was 
elected  sheriff ;  Alonzo  Platt,  coroner ;  and  Ezra  S.  Cable,  com- 
missioner. 

The  presidential  campaign  overshadowed  local  issues.  Mr. 
Thurston,  in  his  Reminiscences,  gives  this  interesting  sketch  of 
the  stirring  incidents  of  that  year :  "The  sparseness  of  the  pop- 
ulation, the  limited  amount  accessible  of  the  current  literature 
of  the  day,  to  which  some  of  the  settlers  had  been  accustomed  ; 
the  almost  entire  deprivation  of  the  pleasures  of  social  life 
among  the  older  people,  caused  them  to  enter  into  a  political 
or  local  contest  with  a  vim  which  almost  invariably  became 


204  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAQO  COUNTY. 

personal  before  it  was  decided.  When  the  fight  was  ended,  the 
passions  cooled  down,  and  'sober  second  thought'  had  resumed 
its  sway,  it  frequently  happened  that  both  parties  joined  in  a 
general  pow-wow  and  celebration.  It  was  so  in  1840.  The 
Whigs  of  this  locality  imitated  the  tactics  so  successfully  prac- 
ticed throughout  the  union.  They  had  no  cider,  either  hard  or 
sweet,  but  they  did  possess  in  abundance  all  the  paraphernalia 
used  by  the  party  in  the  populous  parts  of  the  country.  They 
put  up  a  log  cabin  in  regular  pioneer  style,  on  the  southeast 
corner  of  State  and  Madison  streets,  for  political  headquarters, 
profusely  decorated  with  coon-skins  and  other  regalia  pertain- 
ing to  the  times ;  imported  speakers  from  Galena,  Chicago  and 
intervening  points ;  got  up  processions,  and  with  Frank  Parker 
blowing  an  E  flat  bugle,  and  China  Parker  a  clarionet — neither 
of  them  having  the  slightest  knowledge  of  music,  and  each 
blowing  with  might  and  main  in  a  vain  effort  to  drown  out  his 
companion — marched  about  the  village  wherever  they  could 
secure  a  following.  The  village  drum  was  in  possession  of  the 
Democrats,  and  consequently  not  available  for  Whig  celebra- 
tions." 

Jacob  Miller  was  the  most  popular  among  the  local  Whig 
orators.  He  was  familiar  with  the  vernacular  of  the  westerner, 
and  drew  his  illustrations  from  their  daily  life.  At  the  close  of 
a  harangue  he  would  sometimes  produce  his  fiddle  and  scrape 
the  "Arkansas  Traveler."  The  whole  assembly  joined  in  a  gen- 
eral break-down,  and  theoratorof  the  day  was  borne  in  triumph 
on  the  shoulders  of  his  friends  to  the  nearest  bar. 

The  presidential  election  occurred  in  November.  The  Whigs 
cast  seven  hundred  and  sixty-eight  votes  in  the  county,  and  the 
Democrats,  three  hundred  and  twenty-one;  total,  one  thousand 
and  eighty-nine ;  Whig  majority,  four  hundred  and  forty -seven. 
Abraham  Lincoln  was  one  of  the  five  Whig  candidates  for  pres- 
idential elector  in  Illinois.  The  facilities  for  communication 
were  so  meagre  that  the  official  vote  of  the  state  was  not  known 
in  Rockford  until  late  in  December.  A  messenger  from  the  cap- 
ital, with  the  official  vote  of  the  state,  passed  through  Rockford 
ten  days  in  advance  of  its  publication  in  the  Chicago  papers, 
and  communicated,  it  is  said,  the  news  to  the  prominent  men  of 
the  Democratic  party,  in  each  village,  for  betting  purposes. 
Illinois  was  one  of  the  seven  states  that  elected  Van  Buren 
electors.  This  vote  may  have  been  intentionally  kept  back  by 
the  Democratic  officials  at  Springfield. 


DEA  TH  OF  PRESIDENT  HA  RRISON.  205 

Through  a  technicality  in  an  alleged  non-compliance  with 
the  law,  the  legality  of  Mr.  Cunningham's  election  to  the  office 
of  sheriff  in  August  was  questioned ;  and  he  again  appealed  to 
the  voters  at  the  November  election,  and  received  an  emphatic 
endorsement. 

The  Mock  River  Express  of  December  4th  published  this 
advertisement  in  display  type:  "For  Salt  River,  the  steamboat 
Van  Buren,  only  four  years  old,  will  leave  on  the  4th  of  March 
next,  for  Salt  River.  For  freight  or  passage,  apply  to  the  White 
House.  Hypocrites  will  be  in  attendance  to  amuse  the  passen- 
gers free  of  charge."  The  local  campaign  closed  with  a  "Harri- 
son ball,"  at  the  Washington  House,  February  9, 1841.  On 
the  evening  of  March  3d  the  Democrats  gave  a  Van  Buren  ball 
"in  honor  of  the  able  and  enlightened  administration  of  Martin 
Van  Buren." 

April  4,  1841,  just  one  month  after  his  inauguration,  Pres- 
ident Harrison  suddenly  died.  The  event  filled  the  country  with 
sorrow.  At  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  held  in  Rockford  on  the 
19th,  a  committee,  which  represented  both  political  parties, 
was  chosen  to  submit  resolutions  on  the  death  of  the  president 
to  a  mass-meeting  of  the  citizens.  These  resolutions  wereunan- 
mously  adopted. 

In  the  spring  of  1841  a  bitter  local  fight  was  made  on  the 
election  of  justices  of  the  peace  in  Rockford  precinct.  The  can- 
didates were  Dr.  Haskell,  Peter  H.  Watson  and  John  T.  Shaler. 
Two  justices  were  to  be  elected ;  but  to  satisfy  all  aspirants,  it 
was  proposed  to  elect  later  a  third  justice  for  the  precinct.  The 
business  did  not  require  another  justice,  but  it  was  thought  such 
an  arrangement  would  be  politically  convenient.  The  court, 
however,  held  that  the  election  of  Mr.  Watson  was  illegal,  and 
no  third  justice  was  ever  elected  in  the  precinct. 

A  congressional  election  was  held  in  August,  1841,  instead 
of  the  preceding  year.  The  candidates  were  John  T.  Stuart 
and  J.  H.  Ralston.  Winnebago  county  cast  four  hundred  and 
ninety-three  votes  for  the  former,  and  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
three  for  the  latter.  Mr.  Stuart  was  re-elected.  William  Hulin 
was  elected  county  commissioner. 

In  1842  Judge  Thomas  Ford  was  elected  governor  by  the 
Democrats.  That  party  in  Winnebago  county  nominated  the 
following  ticket:  Senator  for  Winnebago  and  Ogle  counties, 
James  Mitchell ;  for  representative,  John  A.  Brown,  editor  of 
the  Rockford  Pilot;  sheriff,  John  Paul;  commissioner,  Spencer 


206          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAQO  COONTJ. 

Post ;  coroner,  Nathaniel  Loorais.  The  Whigs  nominated 
Spooner  Ruggles  for  senator;  George  W.  Lee,  reprsentative ; 
G.  A.  Sanford,  sheriff;  Isaac  M.  Johnson,  commissioner;  Har- 
vey Gregory,  coroner.  Mr.  Lee  withdrew,  and  Darius  Adams, 
of  Pecatonica,  was  substituted.  The  official  vote  of  the  county 
for  senator,  representative  and  sheriff  was  as  follows :  Ruggles, 
four  hundred  and  sixty-nine;  Mitchell,  four  hundred  and  ninety; 
Adams,  five  hundred  and  forty;  Brown,  three  hundred  and 
seventy-six;  Sanford,  five  hundred  and  fifty-nine;  Paul,  one 
hundred  and  twelve.  Spooner  Ruggles,  Darius  Adams,  Spencer 
Post,  G.  A.  Sanford  and  Nathaniel  Loomis  were  elected  to  the 
respective  offices. 

By  the  act  of  March  1,  1843,  the  state  was  divided  into 
seven  congressional  districts.  The  first  election  under  this 
apportionment  was  held  on  the  first  Monday  in  August  of  the 
same  year.  Under  this  apportionment,  Winnebago  and  Han- 
cock counties  were  in  the  sixth  district.  Hancock  county  was 
the  seat  of  the  Mormon  settlement,  under  the  leadership  of 
Joseph  Smith.  The  Mormons  generally  voted  the  Democratic 
ticket;  and  with  their  support,  Joseph  Hogue,  of  Galena,  was 
elected  member  of  congress.  His  Whig  opponent  was  Cyrus 
Walker,  of  McDonough  county.  At  the  county  election  Ezra  S. 
Cable  was  elected  commissioner;  William  Hulin,  recorder;  S.  M. 
Church,  clerk;  Bela  Shaw,  probate  justice;  Ephraim  Wyman, 
treasurer;  Volney  A.  Marsh,  school  commissioner;  Duncan 
Ferguson,  surveyor. 

The  presidential  election  of  1844  was  scarcely  less  exciting 
than  that  of  four  years  previous.  The  Whigs  carried  the  county 
for  Henry  Clay,  the  idol  of  the  party.  The  Whig  ticket  received 
five  hundred  and  forty-six  votes;  the  Democratic,  three  hundred 
and  sixty-eight;  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-eight  for 
Mr.  Clay.  In  August  Mr.  Hogue  was  re-elected  member  of  con- 
gress, over  Martin  P.  Sweet,  of  Freeport.  TheRockford  forum 
of  August  14th  denounced  the  apportionment  act,  which  placed 
the  Mormon  stronghold  in  this  district,  and  thus  legislated  it 
into  the  Democratic  ranks.  Anson  S.  Miller  was  elected  mem- 
ber of  the  legislature ;  Anson  Barnum,  sheriff;  Artemas  Hitch- 
cock, coroner. 

In  1846  Thomas  J.  Turner,  of  Freeport,  Democrat,  was 
elected  member  of  congress  over  James  Knox,  of  Knox  county. 
Wait  Talcott  received  two  hundred  and  twenty -six  votes  as  the 
candidate  of  the  Liberty  party.  Anson  S.  Miller,  of  Winnebago, 


COLONEL  EDWARD  D.  BAKER.  207 

was  elected  state  senator  as  a  Whig;  Robert  J.  Cross,  repre- 
sentative ;  Hiram  R.  Maynard,  sheriff ;  and  Artemas  Hitchcock, 
coroner. 

After  the  Mormons  removed  from  Hancock  county  the  dis- 
trict again  became  Whig,  and  in  1848  the  party  elected  Edward 
D.  Baker,  of  Galena,  member  of  congress.  Colonel  Baker  was 
born  in  London,  England,  February  24,  1811.  He  came  to  the 
United  States  at  the  age  of  five  years,  with  his  father,  who  died 
in  Philadelphia.  The  son  removed  to  Springfield,  Illinois.  He 
arose  rapidly  to  distinction,  and  in  1844  he  was  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  congress.  He  served  his  adopted  country  with  signal 
ability  in  the  Mexican  war ;  and  upon  his  return  to  Illinois  he 
settled  at  Galena.  After  serving  one  term  in  congress,  he  set- 
tled in  San  Francisco,  California,  in  1852.  Colonel  Baker  was 
a  brilliant  orator.  His  speech  on  the  death  of  Senator  Broder- 
ick,  of  California,  who  fell  in  a  duel  with  Judge  Terry,  in  1859, 
isoneof  the  masterpieces  of  American  oratory.  For  an  hour  the 
homage  of  tears  was  paid  to  Baker's  genius  and  to  Broderick's 
memory.  His  closing  words  are  remarkable  for  their  noble 
pathos:  "The  last  word  must  be  spoken,  and  the  imperious 
mandate  of  death  must  be  fulfilled.  Thus,  0  brave  heart!  we 
lay  thee  to  thy  rest.  Thus,  surrounded  by  tens  of  thousands,  we 
leave  thee  to  thy  equal  grave.  As  in  life  no  other  voice  among  us 
so  rang  its  trumpet  blast  upon  the  ears  of  freemen,  so  in  death 
its  echoes  will  reverberate  amidst  our  mountains  and  our 
valleys  until  truth  and  valor  cease  to  appeal  to  the  human 
heart.  Good  friend!  true  hero!  hail  and  farewell !  " 

Colonel  Baker  was  subsequently  elected  United  States  sen- 
ator from  Oregon.  His  debate  with  Breckinridge  in  the  senate 
in  1861  attracted  national  attention.  "In  the  history  of  the 
senate,"  says  Mr.  Blaine,  "no  more  thrilling  speech  was  ever 
delivered.  The  striking  appearance  of  the  speaker,  in  the  uni- 
form of  a  soldier,  his  superb  voice,  his  graceful  manner,  all 
united  to  give  to  the  occasion  an  extraordinary  interest  and 
attraction."  Colonel  Baker  left  his  seat  in  the  senate  and 
entered  military  service.  He  was  killed  while  commanding  a 
brigade  at  the  battle  of  Ball's  Bluff,  October  21, 1861. 

In  1850,  Thompson  Campbell,  of  Galena,  was  elected  mem- 
ber of  congress.  At  the  same  time  Richard  S.  Molony,  of  Belvi- 
dere,  was  elected  to  represent  the  adjoining  eastern  district, 
which  then  included  Chicago. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

LEWIS  KENT  :    THE  ONLY  SLAVE  IN  THE  COUNTY. 

1"HE  Northwest  Territory  bad  been  consecrated  to  freedom 
by  the  Ordinance  of  1787.  This  principle  was  reaffirmed 
by  the  first  constitution  of  Illinois.  When  the  state  had  become 
a  member  of  the  union,  however,  and  was  thus  given  control 
over  its  own  internal  affairs,  a  desperate  effort  was  made  to 
introduce  slavery.  This  effort  was  partially  successful,  and  the 
famous  "Black  Laws"  gave  the  commonwealth  an  odious  rep- 
utation at  one  time. 

Only  one  man  ever  lived  in  Winnebago  county  as  a  slave. 
His  name  was  Lewis  Kent,  although  he  was  more  familiarly 
known  as  Lewis  Lemon.  In  1829,  when  Germanicus  Kent  was 
a  citizen  of  Alabama,  he  purchased  of  Orrin  Lemon  a  colored 
boy  named  Lewis.  He  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  and  had 
been  taken  by  his  master  to  Alabama.  He  was  about  seventeen 
years  old  at  the  time  he  was  sold  to  Mr.  Kent  for  four  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  in  cash.  When  Mr.  Kent  decided  to  remove 
north,  he  proposed  to  sell  Lewis;  but  the  colored  man  preferred 
his  old  master.  Mr.  Kent  made  an  agreement  with  Lewis  when 
they  arrived  at  St.  Louis.  It  was  in  substance  that  Lewis  should 
pay  him  for  his  freedom  at  the  expiration  of  six  years  and  seven 
months,  the  sum  of  eight  hundred  dollars,  with  ten  per  cent, 
interest.  Lewis  obtained  his  freedom,  however,  in  four  years 
and  four  months.  On  the  6th  of  September,  1839,  Mr.  Kent 
executed  and  placed  in  the  hands  of  Lewis  a  deed  of  manumis- 
sion. At  a  session  of  the  county  commissioners'  court  held  in 
March,  1842,  Mr.  Kent  filed  for  record  the  instrument  which 
officially  proclaimed  Lewis  Kent  a  free  man.  The  transcript  of 
this  document,  which  is  on  file  in  the  county  clerk's  office,  is  the 
only  evidence  in  Rockford  of  the  existence  of  slavery,  and  that 
one  of  its  victims  here  found  freedom  and  a  home.  The  follow- 
ing is  the  text  of  this  document : 

Be  it  remembered  that  at  the  present  term,  March,  A.  D. 
1842,  of  the  county  of  Winnebago,  state  of  Illinois,  Lewis 
Lemon,  a  free  man  of  color,  presented  the  evidence  of  his  being 


DEED  OF  MANUMISSION.  209 

a  free  man  by  the  following  writing  of  Germanicus  Kent,  of 
said  county,  which  being  duly  acknowledged  by  him,  is  ordered 
to  be  filed  and  entered  on  record : 

To  all  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come,  GREETING  :  That 
whereas  the  undersigned,  Germanicus  Kent,  of  Rockford,  Illi- 
nois, did  in  the  year  A.  D.  1829,  being  then  a  resident  of  the 
state  of  Alabama,  purchase  of  Orrin  D.  Lemon,  since  deceased, 
a  colored  boy  named  Lewis,  then  about  seventeen  years  of  age, 
as  a  slave  for  life;  and  whereas,  upon  the  removal  of  the  under- 
signed, from  said  state  of  Alabama,  to  said  state  of  Illinois ; 
now  this  is  to  certify  that  said  Lewis  by  my  removing  him  to 
said  state  of  Illinois,  and  his  residence  there  ever  since,  did 
become  free  and  emancipated  from  all  services  due  to  me  as  a 
slave,  and  that  he  is,  and  by  right  ought  to  be,  free  forever 
hereafter.  And  this  is  to  further  certify  that  said  Lewis  was 
born  a  slave  of  said  Orrin  D.  Lemon,  then  residing  in  Wake 
county  (N.  C.)  from  whence  he  removed  to  Madison  county, 
Alabama,  where  I  purchased  said  Lewis  of  him.  The  said  Lewis 
is  aged  about  twenty-seven  years;  in  person  he  is  five  feet,  eight 
inches  high,  well  built,  rather  stout,  and  weighs  about  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy  pounds;  his  features  are  good,  dark  yellow 
complexion,  open  and  frank  countenance,  mouth  prominent 
and  large  lips. 

In  witness  whereof  1  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal  at 
Rockford,  Illinois,  this  sixth  day  of  September,  A.  D.  1839. 

[SEAL.]  GERMANICUS  KENT. 

In  presence  of  W.  E.  Dunbar  and  William  Hulin. 

State  of  Illinois,  Winnebago  county,  ss :  This  day  before 
me,  Selden  M.  Church,  clerk  of  the  county  commissioners'  court 
of  the  said  county,  came  Germanicus  Kent,  known  to  me  to  be  the 
real  person  described,  and  who  executed  the  within  instrument 
of  writing,  and  acknowledged  that  he  executed  the  same  for  the 
uses  and  purposes  therein  expressed. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  private  seal  (there  being  no  offi- 
cial seal  provided)  at  Rockford,  this  llth  day  of  March,  A.  D. 
1842.  [SEAL.]  SELDEN  M.  CHURCH, 

Clerk  County  Commissioners'  Court  Winnebago  Co. 

After  his  manumission  Lewis  obtained  some  land,  and 
earned  his  livelihood  by  the  cultivation  of  garden  produce.  He 
died  in  September,  1877.  His  funeral  was  attended  by  members 
of  the  Old  Settlers'  Society. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

THE  POLISH  CLAIMS. — DELAY  IN  OBTAINING  LAND  PATENTS. 

EVENTS  of  local  interest  occasionally  have  their  historic 
background  in  national  and  even  international  affairs. 
A  notable  instance  was  the  celebrated  Polish  claims  made  in 
1836  to  a  portion  of  the  territory  which  now  comprises  the 
townships  of  Rockford  and  Rockton.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
interesting  chapters  in  the  history  of  Winuebago county.  Local 
histories  have  briefly  referred  to  the  incident,  but  no  complete 
statement  of  the  affair  has  previously  been  written. 

The  checkered  career  of  Poland  furnishes  the  historic  back- 
ground. The  reader  of  history  will  recall  the  Polish  rebellion 
of  1830-31.  Previous  to  that  time  her  territory  had  been 
partitioned  between  Russia  and  other  powers.  The  impulse  to 
this  uprising  of  1830  was  given  by  the  French,  and  was  begun 
by  a  number  of  students,  who  proposed  to  seize  the  Grand  Duke 
Constantine  in  the  vicinity  of  Warsaw.  The  city  and  the  troops 
enlisted  in  the  movement,  under  the  command  of  General  Chlo- 
picki,  a  veteran  of  the  wars  of  Napoleon.  Upon  the  suppression 
of  this  uprising  in  the  following  year,  the  leaders  were  sent  into 
exile.  They  naturally  sought  refuge  in  this  country. 

The  forlorn  condition  of  these  exiles  enlisted  the  sympathy 
of  the  American  people,  and  congress  rendered  them  some 
assistance.  An  act  was  approved  June  30, 1834,  which  granted 
to  these  Polish  exiles,  two  hundred  and  thirty-five  in  number, 
who  had  been  transported  to  this  country  by  the  order  of  the 
emperor  of  Austria,  thirty-six  sections  of  land.  These  sections 
were  to  be  selected  by  them,  under  the  direction  of  the  secretary 
of  the  treasury,  in  any  three  adjacent  townships  of  the  public 
lands,  surveyed  or  unsurveyed,  in  the  state  of  Illinois  or  the 
territory  of  Michigan.  After  this  land  had  been  surveyed,  it 
became  the  duty  of  the  secretary  of  the  treasury  to  divide  the 
thirty-six  sections  into  equal  parts,  and  to  distribute  them  by 
lot  among  the  exiles.  They  were  to  reside  upon  and  cultivate 
these  lands  for  ten  years,  and  at  the  expiration  of  this  time 
they  were  to  obtain  their  patents  upon  the  payment  of  the  min- 
imum price  per  acre. 


COUNT  CHLOPICKl.  211 


The  exiles  arrived  in  America  in  1835,  and  their  committee, 
at  the  head  of  whom  was  Count  Chlopicki,  arrived  in  Rockford 
in  the  autumn  of  the  following  year.  The  Count  was  an  elderly 
gentleman,  well  informed,  and  apparently  an  excellent  judge  of 
land.  Upon  his  arrival  in  the  Rock  river  valley,  he  selected 
townships  forty-four  and  forty-six,  range  one  east.  These  are 
Rockford  and  Rockton.  The  intervening  township  of  Owen  was 
not  taken,  and  thus  was  violated  one  of  the  provisions  of  the 
grant,  which  stipulated  that  the  land  should  be  selected  in  three 
adjacent  townships. 

Much  of  this  land  was  already  in  possession  of  American 
citizens  when  the  Count  arrived  upon  the  scene.  They  had  only 
a  squatter's  title,  inasmuch  as  there  was  then  no  pre-emption 
law  that  would  apply  in  this  case,  and  the  government  had  not 
placed  the  land  upon  the  market.  The  settlers  had  enclosed 
their  farms  and  made  such  improvements  as  they  were  able. 
Moreover,  the  several  Indian  "floats"  in  these  townships  might 
have  precedence  over  the  claims  of  settlers  or  exiles.  But  these 
facts  did  not  disturb  the  plans  of  the  doughty  Count.  He  dis- 
regarded the  squatter  rights  of  the  settlers,  and  made  a  formal 
selection  of  their  land,  and  reported  his  choice  to  the  secretary 
of  the  treasury. 

While  in  this  section  Count  Chlopicki  had  been  a  guest  of  Ger- 
manicus  Kent.  That  gentleman  explained  the  situation  to  his 
visitor,  and  the  latter  declared  that  the  settlers  should  not  be 
disturbed.  He  thus  set  their  fears  at  rest  in  a  measure.  But 
these  assurances  were  not  entirely  satisfactory,  and  after  the 
Count's  departure  a  sum  of  money  was  raised  and  Mr.  Kent 
was  sent  to  Washington  to  make  further  inquiry.  The  anxiety 
of  the  settlers  was  increased  by  the  fact,  as  already  stated,  that 
they  held  no  titles  to  the  land  upon  which  they  had  settled. 
Upon  Mr.  Kent's  arrival  in  Washington,  he  found  that  his 
apprehensions  were  well  founded.  The  Count  had  not  kept  his 
word ;  he  had  chosen  the  very  townships  he  had  promised  Mr. 
Kent  he  would  not  select.  Mr.  Kent  went  directly  to  the  land 
office  and  made  his  complaint  before  the  commissioner;  but  he 
was  told  that  every  settler  in  the  county  was  a  trespasser,  and 
that  he  had  no  legal  right  to  a  foot  of  the  land  which  he  had  so 
unceremoniously  taken.  It  is  said  facts  are  stubborn  things. 
Mr.  Kent  and  the  settlers  knew  that  the  commissioner  was  cor- 
rect, but  they  did  not  become  alarmed.  Perhaps  they  thought 
that  in  union  there  was  strength.  The  secretary  of  the  treasury 


212          HISTORY  OP  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

did  not,  however,  order  the  subdivision  of  the  lands,  because 
their  selection  by  the  Polish  agent  was  not  in  compliance  with 
the  law,  and  thus  the  matter  rested  for  some  years. 

The  selection  of  these  lands  by  the  Polish  agent,  while 
squatter's  possession  was  held  by  the  settlers,  complicated  the 
whole  question  of  titles.  The  settlers  had  certain  rights  in 
equity,  but  inasmuch  as  no  pre-emption  law  was  then  in  force 
that  would  bear  upon  the  case,  the  government  did  not  at  that 
time  formally  recognize  their  claims.  In  view  of  this  fact,  it  is 
not  a  matter  of  surprise  that  the  Polish  count,  in  his  desire  to 
select  good  lands  for  his  exiled  countrymen,  should  disregard 
claims  that  the  government  did  not  recognize.  Moreover,  this 
section  of  the  Rock  river  valley  had  been  framed  in  the  prodi- 
gality of  nature.  Its  soil  was  good,  its  atmosphere  invigorat- 
ing, its  scenery  a  perpetual  delight.  The  possession  of  such  land 
always  promotes  domestic  happiness  and  commercial  strength. 
The  lands  in  this  vicinity  belonged  at  that  time  to  the 
Galena  land  district,  and  with  the  exception  of  Rockford  and 
Rockton,  were  opened  to  sale  and  entry  in  the  autumn  of  1839. 
These  townships,  which  included  the  thirty-six  sections  in  con- 
troversy, were  withheld  from  sale  for  nearly  eight  years  after 
they  had  been  surveyed. 

Matters  continued  in  this  unsettled  condition  until  1843. 
In  the  meantime  the  land  office  had  been  removed  to  Dixon, 
through  the  influence  of  John  Dixon,  who  settled  there  in  1830, 
and  after  whom  the  town  was  named.  In  1840  Mr.  Dixon  went 
to  Washington,  and  through  the  influence  of  General  Scott  and 
other  army  officers,  who  were  his  personal  friends,  he  secured  the 
removal  of  the  government  land  office  from  Galena  to  Dixon. 
The  settlers  in  Rockford  and  Rockton  could  not  procure  pat- 
ents of  the  lands  which  they  had  occupied  for  some  years.  The 
attention  of  congress  was  repeatedly  called  to  the  situation.  The 
settlers  addressed  petitions  to  that  body  until  their  grievance 
received  attention.  The  Polish  agent  had  forfeited  his  claim  in 
not  selecting  his  lands  in  three  adjacent  townships.  The  exiles 
had  also  forfeited  their  rights  in  not  making  an  actual  settle- 
ment on  the  lands.  Congress  therefore,  April  14,  1842,  passed 
another  act,  authorizing  the  entry  and  sale  of  these  lands  in 
these  two  townships.  This  relief  was  due  in  large  measure  to 
the  efforts  of  Hon.  O.  H.  Smith,  of  Indiana,  Hon.  Robert  J. 
Walker,  of  Mississippi,  and  Hon.  Richard  M.  Young,  of  this 
state,  senators  in  congress. 


LAND  SALE  AT  DIXCW.  213 

When  the  settlers  had  been  finally  delivered  from  their 
dilemma  by  a  special  act  of  congress,  they  began  to  make  prep- 
arations to  perfect  their  titles  to  their  lands.  The  inhabitants 
petitioned  the  president  for  a  public  sale.  Fifteen  months 
elapsed  before  their  petition  was  gran  ted,  and  October  30, 1843, 
the  land  in  these  townships  was  offered  for  sale,  and  was  sold 
November  3d.  It  was  the  most  notable  land  sale  that  ever 
occurred  in  the  district.  Rockford  had  been  incorporated  as  a 
town  four  years  before.  Daniel  S.  Haight  had  platted  the  East 
side,  north  of  State  as  far  east  as  Longwood,  and  south  of  State 
east  to  Kishwaukee.  A  portion  of  this  had  been  platted  as 
early  as  1836 ;  and  Mr.  Haight  had  sold  the  lots  to  the  settlers 
and  given  them  quit-claim  deeds  to  the  same  several  years 
before  he  had  obtained  his  own  patent  from  the  government. 
When  the  land  was  finally  offered  for  sale  at  the  land  office,  Mr. 
Haight  was  authorized  to  go  to  Dixon  and  bid  in  the  entire 
tract  for  the  settlers.  A  committee,  appointed  for  this  purpose, 
prepared  a  list  of  names  to  whom  the  deeds  should  be  given 
after  the  sale.  This  committee  consisted  of  Willard  Wheeler, 
David  S.  Penfield,  E.  H.  Potter,  of  Rockford,  and  Nathaniel 
Crosby,  of  Belvidere.  This,  committee  was  in  session  several 
days,  passed  upon  every  lot  in  the  town  on  the  East  side,  and 
decided  quite  a  number  of  disputed  claims.  Mr.  Crosby  was  not 
present,  but  it  was  understood  that  a  majority  should  have 
power  to  act.  Thus  a  number  of  the  first  settlers  of  East  Rock- 
ford  purchased  their  land  twice.  The  first  purchase,  of  town 
lots,  was  from  Mr.  Haight;  the  second  was  made  through  Mr. 
Haight  as  agent,  from  the  general  government.  Inasmuch, 
however,  as  the  land  office  took  no  notice  of  the  fact  that  the 
land  had  been  platted,  it  was  sold  at  the  usual  price  of  a  dollar 
and  a  quarter  per  acre.  The  second  purchase  was  therefore 
more  of  a  formality  than  an  additional  burden.  WithtNe  land 
sold  in  bulk,  at  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre,  the  second  pur- 
chase of  a  town  lot,  from  the  government,  was  at  a  nominal 
price,  merely  its  relative  value  to  an  unplatted  acre  of  land. 
This  second  purchase,  however,  perfected  the  title. 

At  this  point  it  may  be  necessary  to  state  that  Mr.  Haight's 
first  sales  of  land  were  perfectly  legitimate  transactions.  The 
purchasers  knew  at  the  time  that  a  second  purchase  would  be 
necessary  to  procure  a  perfect  title.  There  was  recently  found 
among  some  old  papers  of  the  late  Francis  Burnap  a  list  of  the 
town  lots  in  East  Rockford  and  the  names  of  the  persons  to 


21 4          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

whom  the  deeds  should  be  given  after  the  land  sale.  The  docu- 
ment comprises  seventeen  pages  of  legal  cap,  and  is  perfectly 
preserved.  At  the  same  sale  at  Dixon  the  land  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river  was  bid  in  for  the  settlers  by  Ephraim  Wyman.  The 
West  side  committee  was  composed  of  G.  A.  Sanford,  Derastus 
Harper,  and  George  Haskell.  The  certificates  of  title  were 
turned  over  to  Mr.  Wyman  by  the  committee.  When  Mr. 
Wyman  went  to  California,  about  1850,  these  certificates  were 
left  in  a  trunk,  in  charge  of  G.  A.  Sanford.  During  Mr.  Wyman's 
absence  they  were  totally  destroyed  by  rodents;  and  these 
facts  are  set  forth  with  grave  precision  by  Mr.  Wyman,  in  a 
certificate,  duplicates  of  which  are  on  file  in  the  abstract  offices 
of  the  city. 

Thus  for  a  period  of  nine  years  from  Mr.  Kent's  settlement 
were  the  early  residents  of  Rockford  and  Rockton  unable  to 
obtain  titles  to  the  lands  which  they  had  selected  and  improved, 
by  reason  of  the  illegal  intrusion  of  an  exiled  Polish  count.  The 
sequel  is  one  of  those  facts  that  is  stranger  than  fiction.  Only 
one  of  those  exiles  ever  subsequently  appeared  in  Rockford  or 
Winnebago  county.  He  was  employed  for  a  time  as  a  cook,  in 
1837,  by  Henry  Thurston,  the  landlord  of  the  old  Rockford 
House.  The  later  history  of  the  exiles  is  unknown. 

Mr.  Haight's  plat  of  East  Rockford  was  filed  for  record 
November  7, 1843,  four  days  after  the  land  sale.  The  east  part 
of  the  original  town  of  Rockford,  west  of  Rock  river,  included 
all  that  part  of  the  city  lying  south  of  a  line  drawn  from  the 
Beattie  residence  west  to  the  Horsman  estate,  and  east  of  a 
line  drawn  from  the  latter  point  to  the  west  end  of  the  Chicago 
&  Northwestern  railroad  bridge.  It  was  platted  by  Duncan 
Ferguson,  November  9, 1843,  and  filed  for  record  by  Ephraim 
Wyman,  November  28, 1843. 

J.  W.  Leavitt's  town  plat  included  all  that  part  of  West 
Rockford  situated  between  Wyman's  plat  on  the  east,  and 
Kent's  creek  on  the  west  and  south.  This  plat  was  made 
August  17, 1844,  and  filed  for  record  October  5,  1844. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

PIONEERS  IN  LOCAL  JOURNALISM. 

THE  first  newspaper  published  in  the  county  was  the  Rock 
River  Express.  Its  publication  began  in  Rockford  May  5, 
1840,  by  B.  J.  Gray.  In  politics  it  was  Whig  of  the  most  radi- 
cal type.  There  was  a  scarcity  of  local  news.  In  a  village  of  per- 
haps three  hundred  inhabitants,  there  was  very  little  of  a  local 
nature  that  could  be  published.  The  primary  purpose  of  the 
paper's  existence  seems  to  have  been  to  promote  the  election  of 
William  Henry  Harrison  to  the  presidency.  Its  ambition  was 
satisfied ;  but  after  it  had  been  published  one  year,  the  press 
and  printing  material  were  sold  and  removed  from  the  village. 
A  file  of  this  paper,  nearly  complete,  has  been  preserved  in  the 
public  library. 

The  Rockford  Star  was  founded  in  the  autumn  of  1840,  as 
a  Democratic  paper.  The  printing  material  was  owned  by  Dan- 
iel S.  Haight,  Daniel  Howell,  and  Adam  Keith.  The  office  was 
located  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Madison  and  Market  streets, 
in  the  building  erected  by  Mr.  Haight,  for  religious,  court  and 
other  purposes.  This  old  building  still  shelters  one  of  the  craft, 
William  G.  Conick,  on  North  First  street.  The  editor,  Philan- 
der Knappen,  was  simply  a  tenant.  J.  H.  Thurston  was  the 
"devil"  in  the  office,  a  role  which,  according  to  his  own  state- 
ment, he  was  eminently  qualified  to  fill.  He  also  became  quite 
an  expert  compositor.  Mr.  Thurston  subsequently  obtained 
employment  on  John  Wentworth's  paper,  the  Chicago  Demo- 
crat, on  the  strength  of  a  letter  of  Mr.  Knappen,  to  the  effect 
that  he  was  a  rapid  compositor,  could  set  a  clean  proof,  and 
could  sometimes  make  sense  from  Kna.ppen's  own  manuscript. 

April  28, 1841,  the  editor  of  the  Star  was  married  to  Miss 
Eliza  Simons,  of  Harlem.  Mr.  Knappen  extended  a  general 
invitation  to  his  friends  through  his  paper  to  attend  a  social 
party  in  the  evening  at  the  Rockford  House.  This  unique  invi- 
tation was  in  part  as  follows:  "To  all  our  friends,  without 
respect  to  political  sentiments.  .  .  We  anticipate  the  pleasure 
and  honor  of  meeting  a  respectable  representation  of  our 
friends,  both  Whig  and  Democrat  (for  there  are  no  party  prin- 


21«         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

ciples  involved  in  matrimony),  from  Newburg,  Belvidere,  Kish- 
waukee,  Harlem,  Winnebago,  Roscoe,  Pekatonik,  Beloit  and  a77 
the  surrounding  vicinity.  We  had  intended  to  issue  a  card  on 
this  occasion,  but  on  more  mature  reflection  we  thought  it  pos- 
sible that  some  persons  might  be  overlooked,  and  thus  we  have 
the  appearance  of  making  flesh  of  one  and  fish  of  another.  As 
we  are  no  'respector  of  persons,'  and  wish  the  notice  and  invi- 
tation to  be  general,  we  have  chosen  to  give  notice  through 
both  the  Express  and  Star."  Mr.  Knappen  had  sent  a  special 
invitation  to  "Long  John"  Wentworth  to  be  present.  Mr. 
Wentworth  had  already  started  on  one  of  his  frequent  trips 
to  Rockford;  and  he  expressed  his  congratulations  by  following 
the  bride  and  groom  all  the  evening  with  a  tallow  dip  in  his 
extended  band,  which  reached  nearly  to  the  ceiling. 

Mr.  Knappen  had  been  in  Rockford  but  a  short  time  when 
the  Driscoll  tragedy  occurred.  He  did  not  understand  the  tem- 
per of  the  people  ;  and  his  strong  denunciation  of  the  summary 
execution  of  the  outlaws  aroused  intense  indignation.  The  cit- 
izens proceeded  to  punish  the  editor.  Soon  after  the  issue  of 
the  paper  the  office  of  the  Star  was  entered  in  the  night  and 
the  type  reduced  to  pi.  When  the  editor  beheld  this  "wreck  of 
matter,"  he  stirred  the  pi  with  a  stove  shovel,  and  mixed  the 
fonts  of  type  in  every  case  in  the  office.  Mr.  Knappen  turned 
over  the  subscription  list  to  Mr.  Howell,  of  the  Rockford  House, 
where  the  office  force  boarded,  and  abandoned  journalism  in 
this  unappreciative  village.  Mr.  Howell  did  not  realize  anything 
from  the  assets  placed  in  his  hands.  Thirty  years  later  Mr. 
Thurston  divulged  the  fact  that  D.  S.  Haight,  Charles  Latimer 
and  Adam  Keith  were  the  perpetrators  of  this  mischief.  The 
Democratic  luminary  had  been  side-tracked  in  its  orbit. 

The  Rockford  Pilot  began  its  brief  career  July  22,  1841. 
Mr.  Thurston  says  he  helped  distribute  the  Star  pi,  and  with 
this  material  assisted  in  issuing  the  first  four  numbers  of  its 
successor.  The  Pilot  was  published  as  a  Democratic  paper 
until  October,  1842 ;  it  could  no  longer  steer  clear  of  the  rocks. 
The  editor,  John  A.  Brown,  had  been  defeated  for  representa- 
tive ;  the  Democrats  had  sustained  a  local  defeat  of  their  entire 
ticket ;  and  on  the  30th  of  October  he  published  the  following 
requiem :  "With  this  number  the  Pilot  dies.  Its  death  is  a  nat- 
ural and  quiet  one.  No  violence  from  enemies  or  overburdening 
by  friends  has  hastened  its  dissolution.  It  dies  from  the  want 
of  proper  support.  In  a  land  groaning  under  the  burthens  of 


J.  AMBROSE  WIGHT.  217 


superabundant  harvests,  and  smiling  in  the  light  of  the  richest 
blessings  of  a  bounteous  Providence,  it  died  of  want.  .  .  Grief 
is  not  wordy,  and  its  requiem  must  be  chanted  by  others.  To  the 
friends  who  assisted  it  in  life  we  tender  our  heart-warm  thanks. 
We  are  not  conscious  that  it  had  any  enemies;  if  it  had,  in  its 
name  we  forgive  them  all." 

During  a  portion  of  this  time  the  Better  Covenant,  a  Uni- 
versalist  paper,  was  printed  at  the  Pilot  office.  Its  editor  was 
William  Rounseville. 

February  17, 1 843,  J.  Ambrose  Wight  began  the  publica- 
tion of  the  Winnebago  Forum,  a  Whig  paper,  with  material 
which  had  been  used  in  printing  the  Rockford  Star.  Mr.  Wight 
came  from  New  York.  He  attended  the  academy  at  Benning- 
ton,  Vermont ;  and  among  his  classmates  were  Henry  Ward 
Beecher,  and  Rev.  E.  H.Chapin,theeminentUniversalist  divine. 
Mr.  Wight  was  graduated  from  Williams  college  in  1836,  and 
immediately  thereafter  he  removed  to  Illinois.  His  first  visit  to 
Winnebago  county  was  December  11,  1836,  in  company  with 
Timothy  Wight,  of  Chicago.  Mr.  Wight  thus  refers  in  a  letter 
to  that  time:  "Rockford  had  not  arrived.  .  .-  I  remember 
that  there  was  a  beginning  of  the  'Rockford  House,'  but  the 
building  had  gone  no  further  than  a  cellar,  and  some  timbers 
hewed  and  lying  on  the  ground."  Mr.  Wight  proceeded  to 
Rockton,  where  he  was  interested  in  a  general  store  until  1840, 
when  he  engaged  in  farming  for  a  time.  Mr.  Wight  says  of  his 
life  in  that  village:  "I  had  not  gotten  to  be  very  rich  in  goods 
at  Rockton;  but  I  did  get  a  wife  there.  .  .  She  was  the  oldest 
daughter  of  Rev.  William  M.  Adams,  who  died  in  March,  1842, 
at  Mineral  Point."  In  1841  Mr.  Wight  came  to  Rockford,  and 
read  law  with  his  brother,  James  M.  Wight;  in  the  summer  of 
1842  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  began  practice.  Reserved 
a  short  time  as  deputy  postmaster  under  S.  M.  Church,  in  1842. 

Mr.  Wight  retired  from  the  Forum  August  18,  1843,  when 
he  sold  the  paper  to  Mr.  Colton.  The  terms  were  easy.  Mr. 
Wight  said :  "He  asked  me  my  price.  I  told  him  if  he  would 
take  it  off  my  hands,  we  would  be  square."  In  April,  1844,  Mr. 
Wight  removed  to  Chicago,  and  became  editor  of  the  Prairie 
Farmer.  The  paper  during  his  management  of  thirteen  years 
achieved  great  success.  In  1849  he  was  also  associated  with 
William  Bross,  in  the  editorial  management  of  the  Herald  of 
the  Prairie,  the  western  organ  of  the  Presbyterian  and  Congre- 
gational churches.  He  purchased  Mr.  Bross'  interest  in  1851, 


218          BISTORT  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBA.UO  COUNT!. 

and  two  years  later  he  sold  his  own  interest.  In  1856  Mr.  Wight 
entered  the  ministry,  and  became  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  at  Olivet,  Michigan.  He  remained  in  this  pastorate 
until  forced  by  ill  health  to  resign,  in  1863.  The  next  year  he 
was  an  editorial  writer  on  the  Chicago  Tribune.  In  1865  he 
accepted  a  call  from  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Bay  City, 
Michigan,  where  he  remained  until  1888.  Mr.  Wight  was  an 
able  minister  and  a  brilliant  newspaper  correspondent.  His 
alma  mater  conferred  upon  him  the  title  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  in 
1871.  Mr.  Wight  died  November  14,  1889,  at  Bay  City,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-eight  years. 

Austin  Colton  was  more  successful  than  his  predecessor  in 
the  management  of  the  Forum.  He  was  a  native  of  Northamp- 
ton, Massachusetts.  He  had  learned  the  printer's  trade  in  the 
office  of  the  Massachusetts  Spy,  and  was  subsequently  employed 
for  a  time  in  Harpers'  publishing  house  in  New  York.  Mr.  Col- 
ton  came  west  in  April,  1839,  and  arrived  in  Rockford  in  the 
following  month.  He  was  employed  in  the  pioneer's  vocation 
of  log-building,  fencing,  and  farming  about  four  years,  when  he 
"purchased"  the  Forum.  Mr.  Colton  continued  the  paper  under 
the  old  name  until  the  close  of  the  first  volume  in  February, 
1 844,  when  he  re-christened  it  the  Rockford  Forum.  Under  his 
management  the  Foium  became  the  first  successful  newspaper 
in  Rockford.  Its  circulation  increased  from  two  hundred  to  six 
hundred.  After  Mr.  Colton  had  "written  for  glory  and  printed 
on  trust"  for  ten  years  he  concluded  to  retire  from  the  business. 
In  December  of  that  year  he  sold  his  plant  to  E.  W.  Blaisdell, 
Jr.  Mr.  Colton  became  a  farmer,  and  continued  in  this  vocation 
until  his  retirement  from  active  life.  This  veteran  editor  died 
November  2, 1893,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  Mrs.  Colton 
still  resides  in  Rockford.  A.  Lincoln,  Albert  L.  and  Royal  F. 
Colton  are  sons.  Miss  Miriam  Colton  is  a  daughter. 

Mr.  Blaisdell  took  his  brother,  Richard  P.  Blaisdell,  into 
partnership.  The  Republican  was  published  until  1862,  when 
it  was  purchased  by  Elias  C.  Daugherty,  and  merged  into  the 
Rockford  Register,  of  which  he  was  proprietor. 

Elijah  Whittier  Blaisdell  was  born  July  18,  1826,  in  Mont- 
pelier,  Vermont,  where  he  resided  until  the  removal  of  the  family 
to  Middlebury.  Later  his  father,  who  was  a  printer,  removed 
to  Vergennes,  where  he  published  the  Vergennes  Vermonter, 
which  was  founded  by  Rufus  W.  Griswold,  whose  "Poets  and 
Poetry  of  America"  is  well  known.  The  son  succeeded  the  father 


E.  W.  BLAISDELL.  219 


as  editor  of  the  Vermonter;  and  while  editing  that  paper,  he 
was  appointed  postmaster  of  Vergennes  by  President  Zachary 
Taylor.  Mr.  Blaisdell  held  this  office  four  years.  He  came  to 
Rockford  in  the  latter  part  of  1853,  and  about  January,  1854, 
he  began  his  journalistic  career  in  this  city  as  editor  of  the 
Forum,  and  changed  the  name  of  the  paper  to  the  Republican. 
Mr.  Blaisdell  attended  the  meeting  in  Bloomington  May  29, 
1856,  at  which  the  Republican  party  was  organized  in  Illinois. 
Abraham  Lincoln  addressed  the  Convention  ;  and  Mr.  Blaisdell 
then  became  convinced  that  Mr.  Lincoln  would  lead  the  new 
party  as  its  candidate  for  the  presidency.  General  Palmer,  in  his 
book,  The  Bench  and  Bar  of  Illinois,  says  the  Republican  was  the 
first  paper  to  support  Mr.  Lincoln  for  the  office  in  which  he  won 
immortal  fame.  Mr.  Blaisdell  was  elected  a  member  of  the  leg- 
islature in  1858,  and  voted  for  Mr.  Lincoln  for  United  States 
senator.  After  serving  his  term  he  studied  law,  way  admitted 
to  the  bar,  and  practiced  for  many  years.  Since  his  retirement 
from  active  life  Mr.  Blaisdell  has  given  attention  to  literary 
pursuits.  He  has  written  The  Hidden  Record,  a  novel;  The 
Rajah,  a  political  burlesque;  and  a  drama,  Eva,  the  General's 
Daughter,  founded  on  incidents  of  the  Black  Hawk  war.  He  is 
now  editing  a  volume  of  miscellaneous  poems,  of  three  hundred 
pages.  Mr.  Blaisdell  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife, 
Frances  Robinson,  died  soon  after  he  came  to  Illinois.  His 
present  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Judge  Ville  Lawrence,  of  Ver- 
mont, and  sister  of  the  late  Chief-Justice  Lawrence,  of  Illinois. 
Another  daughter  of  Judge  Lawrence  married  John  Pierpont, 
who  was  chief-justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  Vermont.  Mr. 
Blaisdell  has  five  sons:  Byron  Richard,  of  Chicago;  Elijah 
Warde,  an  artist  residing  in  New  York  City;  Henry,  George,  and 
Shelley  Pierpont,  of  Rockford. 

In  September,  1848,  Henry  W.  DePuy  established  the  Rock- 
ford  Free  Press,  as  a  Free  Soil  or  Barnburner  organ.  It  was 
published  until  February,  1850,  when  it  was  discontinued  for 
want  of  patronage. 

The  Hock  River  Democrat  was  founded  in  June,  1852,  as  a 
Democratic  paper,  by  Benjamin  Holt.  David  T.  Dickson  after- 
ward purchased  an  interest.  In  1855  Rhenodyne  A.  Bird  pur- 
chased Mr.  Holt's  interest.  The  paper  was  published  by  Dickson 
&  Bird  until  May  1,  1864.  It  was  then  purchased  by  Isaiah  S. 
Hyatt,  who  continued  its  publication  until  June  12,  1865,  when 
the  plant  was  sold  to  the  Register  Company. 


220          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAQO  COONTT. 

Elias  C.  Daugherty  founded  the  Rockford  Register  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1855,  as  a  Republican  paper,  and  a  strong  opponent  of 
the  extension  of  slavery.  Mr.  Daugherty  continued  its  publica- 
tion until  June  12,  1865,  when  the  business  and  that  of  the 
Rock  River  Democrat  were  purchased  by  a  stock  company, 
known  as  the  Rockford  Register  Company,  by  whom  the  paper 
was  published  for  many  years. 

The  Rockford  Wesleyan  Seminary  Reporter  was  begun  as 
a  monthly  publication  in  October,  1857.  Only  four  numbers 
of  this  paper  were  issued.  It  was  published  by  Rev.  W.  F.Stew- 
art, in  the  interest  of  the  proposed  Wesleyan  seminary. 

The  Democratic  Standard  was  founded  October  30,  1858, 
by  Springsteen  &  Parks,  as  a  Democratic  organ.  After  about 
a  month  the  Standard  was  published  by  Henry  Parks  alone, 
until  February  5,  1859,  when  David  G.  Croly  became  proprie- 
tor. On  the  18th  of  May  following  the  proprietorship  was 
changed  to  D.  G.  Croly  &  Co.  The  company  was  John  H. 
Grove.  On  the  suspension  of  the  News,  April  30,  1  860,  and  the 
retirement  of  Mr.  Croly,  the  publication  of  the  Standard  was 
continued  by  John  H.  Gove  and  James  S.  Ticknor  for  a  few 
months.  The  paper  was  then  sold  to  James  E.  and  Joseph  H. 
Fox,  who  established  the  Daily  News.  It  was  a  Republican 
paper,  and  the  first  number  was  issued  December  1860.  A  few 
weeks  later  they  began  the  publication  of  the  Weekly  News, 
which  was  continued  until  September  21,  1861.  The  plant  was 
then  sold  to  E.  C.  Daugherty,  and  its  publication  was  discon- 
tinued. 

The  first  Daily  News  was  established  by  David  G.  Croly, 
February  8,  1859.  The  paper  was  neutral  in  politics.  Its 
publication  was  continued  until  April  30,  1860,  when  it  was 
suspended  for  want  of  patronage. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Croly  won  national  reputations  in  journalism 
and  letters  after  their  departure  from  Rockford.  David  Good- 
man Croly  was  born  in  New  York  City  November  3,  1829.  He 
was  a  professor  of  phonography,  and  a  reporter  for  the  New 
York  Evening  Post  and  Herald  before  he  came  to  Rockford. 
After  his  retirement  from  the  Rockford  News  Mr.  Croly  became 
city  editor  of  the  New  York  World,  and  later  was  its  managing 
editor.  Mr.  Croly's  active  journalistic  career  closed  in  1878, 
when  he  retired  from  the  editorship  of  the  New  York  Graphic.  He 
was  the  author  of  biographies  of  Seymour  and  Blair,  History 
of  Reconstruction,  and  a  Primer  of  Positivism.  He  died  in  1889. 


"JENNIE  JUKE."  221 


Jane  Cunningham  Croly,  more  familiarly  known  as  "Jennie 
June,"  was  born  in  Market  Harborough,  England,  December  18, 
1831.  Her  father  came  to  the  United  States  when  she  was  ten 
years  old,  and  settled  at  Poughkeepsie,  New  York.  She  married 
David  G.  Croly  in  1857.  In  1860  Mrs.  Croly  became  editor  of 
Demorest's  Quarterly  Mirror  of  Fashion,  and  when  that  peri- 
odical and  the  New  York  Weekly  Illustrated  News  were  incorpo- 
rated into  Demorest's  Illustrated  Monthly,  she  became  editor 
of  the  new  journal,  and  retained  this  position  until  1887.  Mrs. 
Croly  has  also  been  editorially  connected  with  several  other 
New  York  papers.  Mrs.  Croly's  pen  name  of  "Jennie  June"  was 
derived  from  a  little  poem  written  by  Benjamin  F.  Taylor,  sent 
to  her  when  she  was  about  twelve  years  old  by  her  pastor  at 
Poughkeepsie,  with  the  name  underlined,  because,  he  said,  "you 
are  the  Juniest  little  girl  I  know."  Among  Mrs.  Uroly's  books  are : 
Talks  on  Women's  Topics,  For  Better  or  Worse,  A  Cookery  Book 
for  Young  Housekeepers,  Knitting  and  Crochet,  Letters  and 
Monograms.  In  1856  Mrs.  Croly  called  the  first  woman's  con- 
gress; also  thesecond,  in  1869.  In  1868  she  founded  the Sorosis, 
and  was  its  president  until  1870,  and  again  from  1876  to  1886. 

The  Daily  Register  was  started  by  E.  C.  Daugherty,  Junel, 
1859,  as  a  Republican  paper;  but  it  was  discontinued  at  the 
end  of  three  months.  Its  publication  was  resumed  in  1877. 

The  Rock  River  Mirror  was  established  September  6, 1859, 
by  Allen  Gibson.  It  was  neutral  in  politics,  and  was  printed  at 
the  Register  office. 

The  Spirit  Advocate,  published  in  1854-56,  was  noted  in  the 
chapter  devoted  to  Dr.  George  Haskell. 

The  Rockton  Gazette  was  started  in  1857,  by  Funk  & 
Phelps,  Soon  after  its  first  issue  Mr.  Funk  retired,  and  its  pub- 
lication was  continued  about  a  year  by  H.  W.  Phelps.  The 
paper  was  not  well  sustained,  and  the  printing  material  was 
removed  to  Burlington,  Wisconsin. 

The  Pecatonica  Independent  was  established  in  May,  1859, 
by  J.  E.  Duncan.  Its  publication  was  continued  a  little  more 
than  a  year,  when  the  plant  was  removed  to  Darlington,  Wis- 
consin. 


CHAPTER  XLI1I. 

THE  FIRST  DAM. — THE  WATER-POWER. — HIGH  WATER  OF  184-4. 

THE  attempt  to  utilize  the  water-power  was  the  first  step  in 
the  transition  of  Rockford  from  a  hamlet  to  a  manufact- 
uring city.  February  28, 1843,  an  act  of  the  legislature  was 
approved,  to  improve  the  navigation  of  the  rapids  in  Rock 
river  at  Rockford,  and  to  incorporate  the  Rockford  Hydraulic 
and  Manufacturing  Company.  The  corporation  was  given 
power  to  construct  a  dam  across  the  river,  which  should  raise 
the  water  not  more  than  seven  feet.  The  company  was  also 
required  to  erect  and  maintain  such  locks  as  might  be  necessary 
for  the  passage  of  steamboats  drawing  three  feet  of  water.  At 
that  time  the  navigation  of  Rock  river  was  an  open  question, 
and  the  government  might  assert  its  control  of  the  river  as  a 
navigable  stream.  Adam  would  obstruct  navigation;  hence 
the  company  was  required  to  construct  locks  for  the  passage 
of  boats,  whenever  they  should  become  necessary.  The  law 
npecified  the  rates  of  toll  which  the  company  should  be  entitled 
to  collect  for  the  passage  of  boats  through  the  locks ;  and  it 
was  given  power  to  detain  such  craft  until  the  toll  should  be 
paid.  Daniel  S.  Haight,  Germanicus  Kent,  Samuel  D.  Preston, 
Laomi  Peake,  Charles  I.  Horsman,  George  Haskell  and  J.  C. 
Goodhue  were  appointed  commissioners  to  receive  subscriptions 
to  the  stock.  The  capital  stock  was  placed  at  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  divided  into  five  hundred  shares  of  one  hundred  dollars 
each.  The  corporation  was  given  power  to  increase  its  capital 
stock  to  any  sum  not  exceeding  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
dollars.  The  law  expressly  provided  that  the  state  might,  at 
any  time  after  the  construction  of  the  dam  and  locks,  assume 
the  ownership  of  the  same ;  the  state,  however,  was  to  keep 
them  in  good  repair.  All  the  hydraulic  power  was  to  remain 
absolutely  the  property  of  the  company.  July  22,  1843,  books 
were  opened  for  subscriptions  to  the  capital  stock.  By  an  act 


THE  HYDRAULIC  COMPANY.  223 

of  the  legislature,  approved  February  11, 1845,  the  law  of  1843 
was  amended. 

In  the  spring  of  1844  the  Rockford  Hydraulic  Company  was 
fully  organized.  The  dam  was  located  a  few  rods  above  the 
present  water-works.  Directly  above,  the  main  channel  of  the 
stream  shifted  abruptly  from  the  east  to  the  west  shore.  On 
the  east  side,  at  the  site  of  the  dam,  the  water  for  two-thirds 
the  width  of  the  stream,  was  about  three  feet  deep  in  summer, 
with  eight  or  nine  feet  in  the  channel.  This  site  for  the  dam 
was  chosen  because  it  was  generally  believed  that  if  the  dam 
were  located  at  the  head  of  the  rapids,  the  town  would  be  built 
there.  Had  the  dam  been  built  at  the  ford,  on  the  rock  bottom, 
it  would  have  required  a  larger  outlay  of  cash.  This  article 
was  scarce,  while  timber,  brush,  stone  and  earth  were  abundant. 

Edward  S.  Hanchett,  of  Freeport,  had  charge  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  dam  when  it  was  commenced.  He  abandoned 
the  work,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  C.  C.  Coburn.  Eighty  acres 
of  the  best  timber  land  were  stripped  of  material  to  build  the 
dam  and  repair  the  breaks.  This  brush  dam  was  built  to  a  level 
with  the  banks.  A  frame-work  was  then  raised  on  the  brush, 
to  which  plank  was  spiked.  The  work  of  graveling  then  began. 
The  rock  and  gravel  were  obtained  along  the  bank  of  the  river 
from  sixty  to  eighty  rods  above  the  dam.  There  were  head- 
gates  at  either  end,  built  high  above  the  comb  of  the  dam,  with 
gates  which  opened  like  the  gates  of  a  lock  on  a  canal,  wide 
enough  for  the  passage  of  steamboats.  At  each  side  of  these 
gates  were  openings  to  admit  the  water  to  the  races,  which 
carried  it  to  the  mills  below.  As  the  water  raised  on  the  brush, 
the  fish,  coming  down  the  river,  would  lodge  on  the  dam  during 
the  night;  and  in  the  morning  the  people  would  get  sturgeon, 
pickerel,  black  bass  and  ca,tfish.  The  dam  was  completed  in 
the  autumn  of  1845.  In  its  issue  of  September  24th  the  Forum 
said :  "As  we  hear  the  roaring  sound  of  the  falling  waters 
(which  can  now  on  a  still  morning  be  heard  for  several  miles 
around)  daily  increasing  in  strength  and  power,  as  the  sheet  of 
water  becomes  thicker  and  heavier,  as  the  dam  is  made  closer 
and  tighter,  we  cannot  but  realize  more  forcibly  the  immense 
influence  which  these  hydraulic  works  are  to  exert  upon  our 
town  and  country  if  the  dam  remains  firm  and  permanent." 

The  mill-race  on  the  East  side  extended  to  Walnut  street, 
and  was  twenty  feet  in  width.  At  the  head  of  the  race  Gregory, 
Phelps  &  Daniels  had  a  sawmill.  At  the  south  side  of  State 


224          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND   W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

street  was  Nettleton's  grist-mill,  the  first  in  Rockford,  which 
was  started  in  1846.  Just  below,  James  B.  Howell  operated 
carding  and  fulling  machinery.  Wheeler  &  Lyon's  sawmill  was 
at  Walnut  street.  The  race  on  the  West  side  was  about  fifteen 
rods  in  length.  At  the  head  Thomas  D.  Robertson  and  Charles 
I.  Horsinan  built  a  sawmill.  Just  below,  Orlando  Clark  had 
an  iron  foundry  in  a  stone  building.  It  is  significant  that  three 
of  these  six  plants  were  sawmills.  Pine  lumber  had  not  come 
in  to  general  use,  and  the  only  available  material  for  frame 
dwellings  were  the  trees  of  the  adjacent  forests. 

April  28, 1846,  the  west  end  of  the  dam  went  out.  About 
two  hundred  feet,  including  the  bulkhead,  were  swept  away,  and 
more  than  an  acre  of  ground  was  washed  out.  The  Hydraulic 
Company  immediately  decided  to  repair  the  dam,  and  the  work 
was  completed  during  the  year. 

March  20,  1847,  the  dam  gave  away  at  the  east  end,  and 
carried  away  the  sawmill  of  Gregory,  Phelps  &  Daniels.  About 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  of  the  dam  were  washed  out  at  this 
time.  This  break  was  repaired  by  Mr.  Nettleton.  Phelps  and 
Daniels  sold  their  interest  in  the  wrecked  sawmill  to  Lewis  B. 
Gregory  and  A.  C.  Spafford,  who  rebuilt  it.  The  mills  then  had 
good  water-power  until  June  1, 1851,  when  the  entire  dam  went 
out,  breaking  away  at  the  west  bulkhead.  Several  changes  on 
the  East  side  then  followed.  Mr.  Howell  removed  his  carding 
machine  to  New  Milford,  where  he  remained  until  the  next  year, 
when  he  returned  to  Rockford,  to  the  West  side,  just  below  the 
Bartlett  flouring  mills.  Wheeler  &  Lyon's  mill  was  removed 
across  the  race  near  Joseph  Rodd's  mill,  and  became  a  part  of 
his  plant. 

In  February,  1849,  the  legislature  provided  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  navigation  of  Rock  river,  and  for  the  production  of 
hydraulic  power,  under  a  general  law.  It  appears  by  an  entry 
on  the  county  records,  that  under  this  law  the  company  filed  a  cer- 
tificate of  incorporation  April  18, 1849,  before  the  abandonment 
of  the  enterprise.  The  organization  of  the  present  water-power 
company,  two  years  later,  will  be  considered  in  a  later  chapter. 

The  high  water  in  1844  throughout  the  northwest  has  a 
local  interest,  although  this  immediate  vicinity  was  not  flooded 
as  was  the  central  portion  of  the  state.  At  and  below  St.  Louis 
the  Mississippi  river  was  twenty  miles  wide,  and  flooded  the 
American  bottom  from  three  to  twenty  feet  deep.  At  St.  Louis 


NUNS  RESCUED.  225 


steamboats  were  loaded  from  the  windows  of  the  second  story 
of  the  stores  on  the  level.  At  Kaskaskia  a  steamboat  ran  out 
two  miles  from  the  main  stream,  laid  the  gang-plank  from  the 
deck  to  the  window  of  a  nunnery,  and  took  the  inmates  aboard. 
About  three  hundred  miles  above  Galena  a  steamer  was  grounded 
three  miles  from  the  channel  of  the  Mississippi.  The  machinery 
was  taken  out,  and  preparations  were  made  to  burn  the  hull 
for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  iron,  when  the  water  arose  and 
floated  the  boat  into  the  channel.  In  the  vicinity  of  Rockford 
the  roads  for  most  of  the  summer  were  impassable  for  anything 
but  oxen.  There  has  been  no  such  season  of  continued  high 
water  in  this  locality  since  that  time. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

POSTMASTERS  OF  ROCKFORD. — ITS  ONLY  POSTMISTRESS. 

THE  early  official  records  of  the  postoffice  department  at 
Washington  are  very  meagre.  There  are  no  local  records, 
as  these  are  supposed  to  be  kept  at  Washington.  In  1890  Hon. 
Robert  R.  Hitt  addressed  a  letter  to  Hon.  John  Wanamaker, 
who  was  then  postmaster-general,  asking  for  information  upon 
this  subject.  That  official  replied  that  the  records  were  incom- 
plete during  the  early  history  of  the  service,  and  he  could  only 
give  the  time  of  appointment  and  resignation  of  the  first  post- 
master. The  later  information  has  been  obtained  from  the 
files  of  the  Rockford  newspapers  in  the  public  library.  This  is 
the  only  source  from  which  the  facts  given  in  this  chapter  could 
be  secured.  The  research  involved  considerable  time  and  labor, 
and  it  is  impossible  to  give  the  exact  date  upon  which  the  com- 
missions were  issued. 

Daniel  S.  Haight  was  the  first  postmaster.  His  commission 
was  dated  August  31, 1837,  and  he  served  until  May,  1841. 

Mr.  Haight  was  succeeded  by  Edward  Warren,  a  brother  of 
Mrs.  Charles  H.  Spafford.  Mr.  Warren  served  until  August,  1841. 

Selden  M.  Church  was  the  third  postmaster,  and  served  two 
years,  when  he  was  removed.  The  announcement  of  this  change 
was  made  in  three  lines  by  the  Rockford  Forum.  In  the  entire 
history  of  Rockford  there  is  nothing  more  marked  than  the 
evolution  of  its  newspapers  from  the  most  primitive  sort  to  the 
present  daily  of  metropolitan  proportions. 

In  August,  1843,  Charles  H.  Spafford  was  appointed  post- 
master. There  is  a  tradition  that  Mr.  Church  was  quite  active 
in  obtaining  the  office;  and,  to  balance  the  account,  Mr.  War- 
ren, who  was  not  lacking  in  influence,  used  it  in  securing  the 
appointment  for  his  brother-in-law.  Mrs.  Spafford  recalls  inter- 
esting reminiscences  of  those  days.  She  says  :  "The  postoffice 
business  was  not  large  at  that  time;  there  were  no  clerks.  The 
mail  came  at  night,  and  required  the  postmaster  to  get  out  at 
midnight  or  very  early  morning  to  change  the  mail.  What 
seems  more  strange,  the  postoffice  money  was  kept  at  the  house 


MELANCTHON  SMITH.  227 


in  my  dressing  bureau.  Mr.  Spafford  was  accustomed  to  come 
home  late  in  the  evening,  bringing  a  bag  of  money.  In  those 
times  of  burglaries  all  this  occasioned  me  a  good  deal  of  anxiety, 
as  I  was  alone  so  much  of  the  time  when  Mr.  Spafford  was  at 
the  office;  especially  as  houses  were  not  securely  built  in  those 
days.  I  was  not  sorry  when  the  robber  band  that  had  been  com- 
mitting the  burglaries  around,  were  secured  and  taken  to  Joliet." 

In  July,  1845,  Charles  I.  Horsman  received  the  appoint- 
ment. The  postoffice  was  removed  to  the  West  side,  nearly 
opposite  the  Winnebago  House.  The  office  has  remained  on 
the  West  side  to  this  day. 

B.  G.  Wheeler  was  appointed  in  May,  1849,  and  served 
four  years. 

In  June,  1853,  Charles  I.  Horsman  received  a  second 
appointment,  and  served  until  1857. 

G.  F.  Hambright  succeeded  Mr.  Horsman,  in  March,  1857, 
and  held  the  office  four  years. 

Melancthon  Smith  was  commissioned  by  President  Lincoln 
in  1861.  Mr.  Smith  subsequently  enlisted  in  the  service  of  his 
country,  and  went  to  the  front  with  the  Forty-fifth  Illinois  reg- 
iment. He  was  first  chosen  captain  of  his  company.  The  regi- 
ment was  known  as  the  Lead  Mine  Regiment,  and  went  into 
camp  at  Galena.  Upon  the  organization  of  the  regiment  he 
was  chosen  major,  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant- 
colonel.  Colonel  Smith  won  distinction  at  Donelsonand  Shiloh. 
During  his  absence  the  postoffice  was  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Smith. 

June  25,  1863,  Colonel  Smith  was  mortally  wounded  at  the 
storming  of  a  fort  at  Vicksburg  by  General  Logan's  division. 
He  lingered  three  days  in  a  state  of  half-consciousness,  and  died 
Sunday  morning,  June  28th,  in  the  thirty-sixth  year  of  his  age. 
His  remains  were  brought  to  Rockford  for  burial.  Funeral 
services  were  held  July  llth,  at  the  home  of  his  father-in-law, 
John  Edwards.  His  remains  lay  in  state  in  front  of  the  house. 
The  discourse  was  delivered  by  Rev.  F.  M.  Holland,  pastor  of 
the  Unitarian  church,  of  which  Colonel  Smith  was  a  member. 

Sunday  afternoon,  August  2d,  Dr.  H.  M.  Goodwin  preached 
a  memorial  sermon  in  the  Second  Congregational  church.  Con- 
cerning Colonel  Smith's  Christian  patriotism,  Dr.  Good  win  said  : 
"The  religious  character  of  Colonel  Smith  partook  of  the  sin- 
cerity and  conscientiousness  which  pervaded  all  his  life  and 
actions.  Religion  was  not  something  one  side  of  his  life  and 
character,  separated  from  it  by  a  gulf  of  silence  and  mystery ; 


228         HISTORY  OF  EOCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

but  it  entered  into  the  substance  of  his  daily  life,  and  formed 
the  warp  and  woof  of  his  whole  character.  It  was  a  thing  of 
principle,  and  not  of  feeling  or  belief  merely.  His  religious  con- 
victions were  the  result  of  personal  thought  and  experience, 
and  not  a  mere  traditional  belief;  were  formed  and  adhered  to 
on  the  same  principle  which  actuated  all  his  other  convictions- 
fidelity  to  his  own  reason  and  conscience.  Before  deciding  to 
enter  the  army,  he  made  the  question  a  subject  of  devout  and 
earnest  prayer,  and  the  decision  when  made  was  a  religious  con- 
secration to  the  service  of  his  country,  expecting  never  to  return, 
but  to  die  on  the  field  of  battle." 

After  Colonel  Smith's  death  the  local  politicians  supported 
David  T.  Dixou  as  the  logical  candidate  for  his  successor  in  the 
postoffice.  A  petition,  however,  was  numerously  signed  by  the 
citizens,  asking  for  the  appointment  of  Mrs.  Smith.  Melancthon 
Starr,  who  was  a  cousin  of  Colonel  Smith,  went  to  Washington 
and  presented  the  matter  to  President  Lincoln.  The  president 
endorsed  her  application,  and  sent  a  letter  to  the  postmaster- 
general,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

"EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  WASHINGTON,  July  24,  1863.— Hon. 
Postmaster-General:  Yesterday  little  indorsements  of  mine 
went  to  you  in  two  cases  of  postmasterships  sought  for  widows 
whose  husbands  have  fallen  in  the  battles  of  this  war.  These 
cases  occurring  on  the  same  day  brought  me  to  reflect  more 
attentively  than  I  had  before  done,  as  to  what  is  fairly  due 
from  us  here  in  the  dispensing  of  patronage  toward  the  men 
who,  by  fighting  our  battles,  bear  the  chief  burden  of  saving 
our  country.  My  conclusion  is,  that  other  claims  and  qualifica- 
tions being  equal,  they  have  the  better  right,  and  this  is  espec- 
ially applicable  to  the  disabled  soldier  and  the  deceased  soldier's 
family.  Your  obedient  servant,  A.  LINCOLN." 

Mrs.  Smith  accordingly  received  the  appointment,  and 
completed  the  term.  Mrs.  Smith  became  the  wife  of  General  A. 
L.  Chetlain,  of  Chicago.  She  is  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Julia  A.  Clem- 
ens, of  Rockford. 

Mrs.  Smith  was  succeeded  by  Hon.  Anson  S.  Miller,  who 
assumed  the  duties  April  1,  1865.  He  retained  the  office  until 
1871,  when  Charles  H.  Spafford  was  appointed.  The  succession 
to  date  is  as  follows:  Abraham  E.  Smith,  Thomas  G.  Lawler, 
John  D.  Waterman,  Thomas  G.  Lawler,  John  D.  Waterman, 
Thomas  G.  Lawler.  Colonel  Lawler  and  Mr.  Waterman  have 
continued  their  official  see-saw  for  twenty  years. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH. 

n~"HE  Unitarian  church  did  not  at  first  include  all  the  adhe- 
I  rents  of  a  liberal  Christian  faith.  At  a  meeting  held  in  the 
brick  schoolhouse,  in  East  Rockford,  April  24,  1841,  a  Univer- 
salist  church  was  organized  by  the  election  of  Daniel  S.  Haight, 
Ezra  Dorman,  and  Thomas  Thatcher  as  trustees.  This  election 
was  recorded  in  the  recorder's  office,  as  provided  by  law.  It  is 
not  probable  that  the  official  records  of  this  church  have  been 
preserved.  It  is  known,  however,  that  preaching  services  were 
held  at  the  court  house  on  the  East  side,  and  at  the  school- 
house  a  portion  of  the  time  during  the  next  ensuing  few  months. 

In  1841  the  Universalists  were  sufficiently  strong  to  consider 
the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship.  In  those  days  the  citizens 
regarded  any  church,  of  whatever  name,  as  a  factor  in  promot- 
ing the  general  welfare  of  the  village.  Hence  the  name  of  a 
generous,  public-spirited  citizen  would  be  found  among  the 
contributors  to  the  support  of  liberal  and  orthodox  churches 
alike.  The  original  subscription  list  for  the Universalist  church, 
which  is  still  extant,  is  an  interesting  document.  Mr.  Haight 
gave  a  lot  which  he  valued  at  one  hundred  dollars ;  the  same 
amount  in  carpenter's  and  joiner's  work;  "forty-two  sleepers 
in  my  wood-lot  near  Rockford,  seventeen  feet  long,  at  three 
cents  per  foot,  twenty-one  dollars  and  forty-two  cents;"  and 
fifty  dollars  in  money.  Almost  the  entire  subscriptions  are  in 
work  or  material.  William  Worthington  subscribed  ten  dollars 
in  blacksmith's  work;  Charles  Latimer,  twenty  dollars,  how 
paid  is  not  stated ;  A.  M.  Catlin,  in  produce  or  building  mate- 
rial, twenty-five  dollars;  J.  M.  Wight,  one  thousand  feet  of 
lumber  at  Stokes  &  Jewett's  mill,  twelve  dollars. 

On  Thursday,  July  22, 1841,  the  corner-stone  of  the  Univer- 
salist church  was  laid  on  a  site  near  the  East  side  public  square. 
The  large  assemblage  included  people  of  other  denominations. 
Prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Mr.  Van  Alstine,  and  a  discourse 
was  delivered  by  Rev.  Seth  Barnes.  This  structure  was  never 
completed.  A  stranger,  in  passing  the  unfinished  building, 


230          HISTORY  OF  EOCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

inquired  of  Dr.  George  Haskell  concerning  its  purpose.  The 
Doctor  replied  that  it  was  an  "insurance  policy  against  hell-fire." 
All  the  original  supporters  of  this  project  are  gone ;  and  not  even 
tradition  has  given  the  cause  for  its  sudden  abandonment. 
Thus  the  Unitarian  church  became  the  one  liberal  household 
of  faith. 

Strong  Universalist  churches  are  rare.  These  apostles  of 
the  "wider  hope"  have  never  become  a  vigorous  ecclesiastical 
body.  A  few  years  ago  a  clergyman  of  that  denomination 
contributed  to  one  of  the  reviews  an  article  entitled  Confessions 
of  a  Universalist.  He  took  an  optimistic  view  of  the  future  of 
his  church;  yet  he  considered  with  remarkable  fairness  its 
apparent  limitations.  A  brief  extract  from  this  article  is  very 
suggestive.  The  gentleman  said :  "We  have  also  suffered,  and 
do  suffer,  from  the  presence  of  a  class  of  easy-going  optimists, 
whose  general  idea  of  this  life  appears  to  be  that  a  good-natured 
Creator  is  coaxing  his  rabbit-multitudes  of  creatures  easily  along 
toward  an  infinite  cabbage-garden  of  a  heaven,  where  they  will  all 
eat  cabbages  forever !  These  amiable  persons  mistake  their  con- 
stitutional impurturbability  for  the  serene  repose  of  faith,  and 
are  therefore  immovable  by  any  instrumentality  less  powerful 
than  dynamite.  A  meeting-house  full  of  them  can  be  made  as 
enthusiastic  as  a  half-acre  of  damp  toadstools." 

This  frank  acknowledgement  should  be  balanced  by  a  rec- 
ognition of  the  moral  worth  of  the  leaders  of  the  old  school  of 
Universalism.  They  were  men  of  strong  character  and  genuine 
spirituality.  They  believed  that  every  man,  by  divine  and 
gracious  help,  must  work  out  his  own  salvation.  They  recog- 
nized, in  the  tragic  severity  of  the  retributive  laws,  the  Creator's 
tribute  of  respect  to  the  possibilities  of  his  creature.  With  sol- 
emn joy  they  learned  by  the  return  of  their  deeds  upon  their 
heads,  that  they  were  under  moral  discipline.  Conversely,  these 
men  believed  that,  as  darkness  can  resolve  itself  into  light,  so 
will  the  evil  be  dissolved  in  the  good ;  that  the  eternal  streams 
of  goodness  will  wash  away  the  evil ;  that  the  hand  of  Omnip- 
otence is  able  to  press  the  tears  of  repentance  from  the  heart, 
though  it  seem  hard  as  steel.  Thus,  under  the  name  of  Univer- 
salism, have  been  brought  together  the  two  poles  of  a  careless 
optimism,  and  a  sublime  faith  in  the  beneficent  severity  of  the 
moral  order  of  the  world. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

FIRST  BRIDGE. — FIRST  FOUNDRY  AND  MACHINE  SHOP. 

TEN  years  elapsed  from  the  first  settlement  of  the  village 
before  Rock  river  was  spanned  by  a  bridge  at  Rockford. 
A  bill  had  passed  the  legislature,  approved  February  27,  1843, 
authorizing  Daniel  S.  Haight,  George  Haskell,  S.  D.  Preston, 
Charles  I.  Horsman,  and  their  associates  to  build  a  bridge. 
When  completed  in  a  manner  so  as  not  to  obstruct  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  river,  and  accepted  by  the  county  commissioners' 
court,  it  was  to  be  a  public  highway,  and  kept  in  repair  by  the 
county.  But  nothing  was  done  until  nearly  one  year  later, 
when  the  construction  of  the  county  buildings  on  the  West  side 
emphasized  this  need  to  the  citizens  of  the  East  side,  where  the 
courts  had  been  held.  The  entire  people  felt  that  a  bridge  must 
be  built,  although  few  had  means  enough  to  conduct  their  own 
business  successfully.  Citizens  of  the  West  side,  including  the 
country  west  of  the  village,  had  built  the  court  house  and  jail 
without  a  dollar's  expense  to  their  neigobors  on  the  east  side 
of  the  river.  But  the  progressive  citizens  were  willing  to  assume 
another  burden.  At  a  meeting  held  in  December,  1843,  a  com- 
mittee consisting  of  E.  H.  Potter,  D.  Howell,  Willard  Wheeler, 
C.  I.  Horsman  and  G.  A.  Sanford,  were  appointed  to  solicit  sub- 
scriptions. A  persistent  effort  throughout  the  county  secured 
pledges  to  warrant  the  construction  of  an  oak  lattice  bridge. 
All  the  money  raised  at  this  time  was  by  subscription.  The 
most  liberal  contributors  were  Frink,  Walker  &  Co.,  the  stage 
proprietors.  January  22,  1844,  the  committee  let  the  contract 
to  Derastus  Harper.  This  gentleman  was  a  competent  work- 
man. He  subsequently  went  to  Chicago,  became  the  city  engi- 
neer, and  designed  the  first  pivot  bridge  across  the  Chicago 
river.  The  lumber  was  cut  from  trees  on  government  land  on 
Pecatonica  river,  rafted  down  the  Rock,  and  sawed  at  Mr. 
Kent's  mill.  The  covering  for  the  lattice  wasbasswood  boards, 
cut  from  logs  in  Mr.  Blake's  grove,  and  sawed  at  Kent's  mill. 
C.  I.  Horsman  and  William  G.  Ferguson  drew  the  logs.  By 
August  or  September,  Mr.  Harper  had  sufficient  material  on 


232         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

hand  to  commence  laying  the  bridge.  This  was  done  nearly  in 
the  rear  of  the  Masonic  Temple  site,  on  the  piece  of  level  bottom. 
The  bridge  was  of  three  strings  of  lattice-work,  made  from  oak 
planks,  fastened  with  oak  pins.  There  was  no  iron  in  the  struct- 
ure, except  the  nails  that  held  the  half-inch  basswood  boards 
which  covered  the  lattice  when  the  structure  was  completed. 
There  were  stone  abutments  on  either  shore.  Christmas  night, 
1844,  the  lattice  was  in  place  a  distance  of  about  seventy  feet 
from  the  west  shore,  supported  by  temporary  trestles.  Ice 
formed  about  the  trestles  from  the  west  shore.  The  water  arose 
and  lifted  the  entire  structure,  including  the  trestles,  when  it 
toppled  over  with  a  crash.  The  pride  and  fond  anticipations 
of  the  village  went  out  with  it.  Such  discouragement  is  seldom 
depicted  on  the  faces  of  the  entire  community.  All  shared  in 
the  disappointment;  but  the  energies  of  the  citizens  were  not 
easily  foiled.  A  united  effort  was  made  in  a  short  time,  and 
promises  were  again  secured.  The  abutments,  piers  and  one 
section  were  left,  and  some  of  the  material  was  saved  which  had 
floated  down  stream.  The  fallen  lattice  was  taken  from  the 
water,  and  each  plank  numbered  with  red  chalk ;  and  excepting 
a  few  that  were  splintered,  they  were  again  placed  in  proper 
order.  After  the  ice  went  out  in  March,  1845,  the  structure 
was  again  raised,  without  accident.  Cheerfulness  and  hope- 
fulness assumed  full  sway;  and  after  many  discouragements 
the  bridge  was  open  for  travel,  July  4, 1845.  It  was  a  time  of 
great  rejoicing.  The  public-spirited  citizens  of  Rockford  felt  that 
Independence  Day  had  been  properly  celebrated.  When  the 
last  plank  had  been  laid,  E.  H.  Potter  mounted  a  horse,  and 
was  the  first  man  to  ride  across  the  bridge.  It  was  estimated 
that  two  thousand  people  crossed  the  bridge  that  day.  There 
were  two  roadways,  separated  by  the  centre  lattice,  which  pro- 
jected about  five  feet  above  the  planking. 

Perhaps  no  other  public  improvement  in  Rockford  ever  so 
tested  the  courage  and  financial  strength  of  the  community. 
The  burden  fell  heavily  upon  the  committee.  The  contract  with 
Mr. "Harper  was  for  five  thousand  and  five  hundred  dollars.  A 
financial  statement  made  July  15,  1845,  showed  that  only  two 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty-seven  dollars  and  ninety 
cents  had  been  collected.  The  committee  had  borrowed  five 
hundred  dollars  on  their  personal  credit,  for  which  they  were 
paying  twelve  per  cent.  There  was  also  a  balance  due  Mr. 
Harper  of  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety-seven  dollars. 


MANDEVILLE  HOUSE 

Built  in  1837  by  Richard  Montague.     Still  standing: 


BRINCKERHOFF   HOUSE 

Built  by  George  W.  Brinckerhoff  in  1838,  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Main  and  Green 
streets.    Still  standing 


BRIDGE  TAX  LEVY.  233 


The  bridge  served  its  day  and  generation  very  well,  but  it 
was  subject  to  many  calamities.  The  dam  broke  three  times 
after  the  bridge  was  completed.  When  the  west  end  broke  in 
April,  1846,  the  pressure  of  the  water  on  the  upper  side  of  the 
centre  and  principal  pier  removed  the  foundation  on  that  side, 
and  settled  the  bridge  in  the  center  on  the  up-stream  side  nearly 
to  the  water,  and  gave  it  the  appearance  of  being  twisted 
nearly  one-fourth  around.  The  bridge  stood  in  this  position 
for  some  months,  when  a  contract  was  made  with  William 
Ward  to  raise  it  into  position.  The  bridge  sustained  some  injury 
when  the  eastern  portion  of  the  dam  broke  in  April,  1847.  On 
the  25th  of  February  preceding,  a  law  of  the  legislature  had  been 
approved,  providing  for  a  special  tax  to  be  levied  upon  the  tax- 
able property  of  Rockford  precinct,  for  the  purpose  of  repairing 
and  maintaining  the  bridge,  and  for  the  payment  of  the  debt 
incurred  in  its  construction.  Newton  Crawford,  Bela  Shaw, 
Ephraim  Wyman  and  Daniel  McKenney  were  appointed  bridge 
commissioners  by  the  act,  and  vested  with  power  to  declare  the 
amount  of  tax  to  be  levied,  which  was  not  to  exceed  fifty  cents 
on  one  hundred  dollars.  These  commissioners  were  appointed 
by  the  act,  until  their  successors  should  be  elected  annually  at  the 
August  election.  When  the  dam  went  out  the  third  time,  in  June, 
1851,  the  bridge  withstood  the  rush  of  waters,  although  it  was 
wrenched  from  its  position.  It  reminded  one  of  a  cow-path  or 
a  rail-fence,  and  had  a  very  insecure  look.  Though  twisted 
from  end  to  end,  it  kept  its  place  very  tenaciously  until  it  was 
replaced  by  the  covered  bridge  in  the  winter  of  1852—53.  Its 
memory  should  be  treated  with  respect.  It  enabled  people  to 
attend  their  own  respective  churches,  for  nearly  everybody 
went  in  those  days — Congregationalists  on  the  West  side,  and 
the  Methodists  on  the  East  side.  Postoffice  and  county  build- 
ings were  accessible  to  all.  It  proved  a  bond  of  union  between 
the  two  sides. 

The  first  foundry  and  machine  shop  was  built  in  the  autumn 
of  1843,  or  early  in  the  spring  of  the  following  year.  It  stood 
on  the  site  of  Jeremiah  Davis'  residence,  on  North  Second  street. 
The  proprietors  were  Peter  H.  and  William  Watson.  Their 
father's  family  came  from  Canada,  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  the 
Enoch  neighborhood  in  Guilford.  Peter  Watson  was  at  one 
time  assistant  secretary  of  war  during  the  civil  conflict,  and  at 
a  later  period  was  president  of  the  New  York  and  Erie  railroad. 


234          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

The  foundry  was  running  in  the  spring  of  1844.  The  proprie- 
tors obtained  a  contract  for  large  pumps  and  pipes  for  raising 
water  from  the  lead  mines  at  Galena.  March  11, 1845,  William 
Watson  sold  his  interest  in  the  business  to  his  brother,  and 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  fanning-mills.  Peter  H.  contin- 
ued the  foundry  until  August,  1845.  His  successors  in  the  busi- 
ness at  this  stand  were  in  turn :  R.  F.  Reynolds,  D.  K.  Lyon,  John 
Stevens,  H.  H.  Silsby,  Laomi  Peake,  and  James  L.  Fountain. 
The  last  named  proprietor  removed  the  material  and  patterns 
to  New  Milford  about  1852.  The  last  year  Mr.  Silsby  conducted 
the  business,  in  1849,  it  was  prosperous.  People  came  a  dis- 
tance of  forty  miles  to  get  their  work  done.  Mr.  Silsby  was  often 
required  to  work  nights  in  order  to  keep  up  with  his  orders. 
James  Worsley  was  the  expert  moulder  during  all  these  years, 
and  he  was  master  of  his  trade.  He  was  afterward  in  the  employ 
of  Clark  &  Utter  until  his  retirement  from  the  business  by  reason 
of  old  age. 

Orlando  Clark,  who  has  been  erroneously  credited  with 
building  the  first  foundry,  came  from  Beloit  in  1847,  and  estab- 
lished himself  in  business  on  the  West  side  race,  where  he 
remained  until  1851,  when  he  went  into  business  with  Mr.  Utter 
on  the  new  water-power.  Mr.  Clark  built  the  residence  in  South 
Rockford  which  is  now  the  home  of  Judge  John  C.  Garver. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

WORCESTER  A.  DICKERMAN.— ROCKFORD  AS  HE  SAW  IT  IN  1844. 

WORCESTER  A.  DICKERMAN  was  born  in  Green  county, 
New  York,  September  10,  1820.  He  came  to  Rockford  in 
1844.  Upon  his  arrival  he  immediately  went  into  partnership 
with  his  cousin,  G.  A.  Sanford,  under  the  firm  name  of  W.  A. 
Dickerman  &Co.,  in  the  dry  goods  business.  Their  store  was  a 
two-story  brick  structure  on  the  old  Second  National  Bank 
corner.  After  four  years  they  removed  to  a  building  which 
stood  on  the  site  of  H.  H.  Waldo's  book-store,  where  the  busi- 
ness was  continued  for  several  years.  The  banking  house  of 
Dickerman,  Wheeler  &  Sanford  was  then  founded,  which  did 
business  in  the  old  building  on  the  southeast  corner  of  State 
and  Main.  Mr.  Wheeler  retired  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  R.  P. 
Lane.  The  firm  name  was  Lane,  Sanford  &  Company,  with  Mr. 
Dickerman  as  the  silent  partner.  This  firm  did  a  private  banking 
business  until  the  national  banking  system  was  introduced,  in 
1865.  The  firm  was  given  the  second  banking  charter,  underthe 
name  of  the  Second  National  Bank. 

Upon  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Dickerman  from  the  banking 
business,  he  devoted  his  attention  to  insurance.  He  was  one  of 
the  incorporators  of  the  Rockford  Insurance  Company,  and 
from  1884  to  the  time  of  his  death  he  served  as  examiner  in  the 
mercantile  department.  Mr.  Dickerman  was  school  commis- 
sioner from  1847  to  1849.  In  1847  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Caroline  Thomas,  eldest  daughter  of  Dr.  Alden 
Thomas ;  and  in  1897  they  celebrated  their  golden  wedding. 
Mr.  Dickerman  was  prominent  in  church  work.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  First  Congregational  church  until  1849,  when  the 
Second  church  was  formed.  He  became  a  charter  member  of  the 
younger  society,  and  in  his  later  years  he  was  familiarly  known 
as  its  senior  deacon.  Mr.  Dickerman  was  for  some  time  the  pur- 


236          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

chasing  agent  for  Rockt'ord  seminary.  The  highest  type  of  gen- 
tleman is  born;  not  made.  Emerson  says:  "When  private  men 
shall  act  with  vast  vievys,  the  lustre  will  be  transferred  from  the 
actions  of  kings  to  those  of  gentlemen."  Mr.  Dickerman 
belonged  to  this  class.  He  was  upright  and  genial ;  and  prob- 
ably never  made  a  personal  enemy.  Full  of  years  and  crowned 
with  honor,  Mr.  Dickerman  passed  away  July  19,  1899.  His 
immediate  surviving  family  are  Mrs.  Dickerman;  Miss  Kather- 
ine,  a  daughter;  and  a  son,  Harry  W. 

A  short  time  before  his  death  Mr.  Dickerman  prepared  for 
this  volume  a  chapter  of  reminiscences  of  Rockford  as  he  saw  it 
in  1844.  It  is  a  pleasant  running  commentary  on  men,  places 
and  things.  An  exact  reproduction  of  his  reminiscences  would 
necessarily  involve  a  repetition  of  statements  already  familiar 
to  the  reader;  but  the  remainder  of  this  chapter  is  substantially 
as  Mr.  Dickerman  gave  it  to  the  author,  although  it  contains  a 
few  slight  repetitions  of  facts  previously  given. 

A  ride  in  an  open  lumber  wagon  of  about  three  days,  com- 
ing from  Chicago  with  Alonzo  Corey,  who  had  been  in  the  city 
with  a  load  of  wheat,  brought  us  to  Rockford.  Though  some- 
what tiresome,  we  expected  some  inconveniences,  and  accepted 
them  gracefully.  To  one  who  had  lived  among  the  Catskill 
mountains,  the  open  prairies  had  much  of  interest.  Garden 
Prairie  was  very  attractive.  Mr.  Corey  would  say:  "Waituntil 
you  see  the  Rock  river  country."  The  State  road  from  Belvi- 
dere  was  principally  through  wooded  land.  As  we  came  toBela 
Shaw's  place,  unexpected  improvements  appeared :  a  row  of 
thrifty  young  poplar  trees  set  in  front,  a  half  circle  formed 
inside,  with  an  avenue  from  that  to  the  dwelling;  also  an  ave- 
nue from  the  street  to  the  barn.  Mr.  Shaw  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace;  very  dignified,  guarding  well  the  morals  of  the  commu- 
nity. He  was  an  excellent  specimen  of  a  Canadian  English 
gentleman.  From  Mr.  Shaw's  residence  to  the  village,  there 
were  about  one  and  a  half  miles  of  prairie,  which  afforded  a  very 
extended  view  in  all  directions.  The  high  ground  on  the  east 
was  timber-land,  known  as  "Big  Woods."  South,  west  and 
north  the  outlook  was  attractive.  Stages  in  passing  were  often 
stopped  by  request  of  passengers  to  take  in  the  beautiful  view. 
There  were  a  few  patches  of  cultivated  land  and  small  dwell- 
fngs,  but  nothing  to  obstruct  the  view  in  any  direction.  "And 
now,"  says  Mr.  Corey,  "this  is  the  part  of  the  Rock  river  valley 


PIRST  VIEW  OF  ROCKFORD.  237 

of  which  I  have  told  you."  Truly,  I  had  never  seen  a  prettier 
picture.  I  think  there  were  no  buildings  between  Mr.  Shaw's 
home  and  the  village,  which  was  completely  shut  out  of  view 
by  the  forest,  and  no  church  spires  to  indicate  its  location. 
Frink,  Walker  &  Co.'s  stage  barn  near  the  present  watering- 
trough  on  Kishwaukee  street,  was  the  first  building.  A  two- 
story  building,  corner  of  State  and  First  street,  occupied  in 
part  by  Laomi  Peake,  a  harness-maker,  was  the  best  in  town. 
There  were  then  no  other  shops.  Mr.  Peake  was  an  energetic, 
industrious  man.  A  little  farther  west  was  the  postoffice. 
Charles  H.  Spafford  was  the  postmaster.  He  was  a  genial, 
upright,  frank-hearted  man,  well  adapted  to  the  business,  and 
very  popular.  His  two  brothers,  John  and  Catlin,  were  on  a 
farm  three  miles  south  on  the  Kishwaukee  road.  Mr.  Spafford's 
successor  under  James  K.  Polk's  administration,  was  Charles 
I.  Horsman,  who  removed  the  office  to  the  west  side  of  the 
river.  Willard  Wheeler  had  a  store  and  tin-shop  near  by.  He 
was  a  very  decided  character,  sometimes  called  obstinate; 
always  aiming  to  head  off  the  West-siders,  who  were  alert  and 
ready  to  guard  their  own  interests.  Near  at  hand  Searle  & 
Worthington  had  the  only  drug  store  in  town.  Dr.  Searle  was 
quite  a  politician,  and  the  store  was  a  sort  of  political  head- 
quarters. William  Worthington  was  a  quiet  man,  and  highly 
esteemed.  He  was  fond  of  music,  and  particularly  the  drum. 

On  the  south  side  of  State  street  Lewis  Holmes  had  a  shoe- 
shop.  The  Washington  Temperance  House  came  next,  kept  by 
so-called  Judge  Blackstone,  a  popular  landlord.  Volney  Marsh 
and  Thomas  D.  Robertson,  young  married  people,  were  among 
his  fashionable  boarders.  Across  East  State  street,  on  the 
corner,  was  the  Rockford  House,  known  as  the  stage  house,  kept 
by  Andrew  Brown,  a  very  good  landlord.  Directly  north  was 
the  New  York  store,  kept  by  A.  H.  H.  Perkins,  a  genial,  active 
business  man.  He  was  popular,  and  had  a  good  trade.  On 
the  southwest  corner  of  State  and  Main,  now  called  Madison, 
was  a  two -story  brick  building.  It  was  the  largest  in  town, 
with  the  most  complete  stock  of  goods,  owned  and  conducted 
by  E.  H.  Potter.  He  was  a  very  decided,  upright  businessman, 
prominent  in  the  church  and  everything  that  pertained  to  good 
citizenship  and  the  prosperity  of  the  village,  and  particularly 
East  Rockford.  He  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  William  Lathrop 
and  Commodore  E.  E.  Potter.  He  built  and  occupied  the  brick 
building  now  owned  by  Rev.  Mead  Holmes  as  a  residence.  Mr. 


238         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

Potter  had  a  brother,  Herman  B.  Potter,  a  farmer,  and  a  man 
highly  esteemed.  His  dwelling  stood  on  ground  now  occupied 
by  the  First  Congregational  church.  He  also  had  another 
brother,  Joel  B.  Potter,  a  farmer,  who  resided  two  miles  from 
the  village.  He  was  formerly  a  Presbyterian  clergyman.  His 
health  had  failed,  but  he  was  still  an  active  and  valuable  man 
in  the  church.  I  first  knew  him  as  Sunday-school  superintendent 
in  the  Congregational  church.  The  second  story  of  the  Potter 
store  was  occupied  by  Jason  Marsh  and  James  M.  Wight,  the 
principal  law  firm  in  the  town.  They  were  public-spirited  citi- 
zens. Mr.  Marsh  was  a  bold,  daring  man,  a  fluent  speaker,  ready 
for  any  emergency,  and  well  adapted  to  a  new  country.  He  was 
very  active  in  securing  the  arrest  and  conviction  of  noted  bur- 
glars and  horse-thieves  in  connection  with  the  Mulford  robbery. 
Some  of  these  had  been  the  more  dangerous  because  they  were 
well-known  citizens.  Their  duplicity  was  shown  in  their  appar- 
ent anxiety  to  ferret  out  horse-thieves,  while  at  the  same  time 
they  were  keeping  them  fully  advised  of  all  proceedings.  Mr. 
Wight  did  not  make  a  specialty  of  pleading  at  the  bar;  but  he 
was  a  thorough  lawyer,  and  highly  appreciated  as  a  counselor. 
The  descent  from  the  Potter  store  to  the  river  was  quite  steep. 
The  surface  of  the  river  was  four  feet  lower  before  the  dam  was 
built.  Teamsters  with  heavy  loads  called  it  the  hardest  hill, 
from  the  river  bank  to  Madison  street,  between  Chicago  and 
Rockford.  The  road  was  quite  sandy,  and  frequently  the  teams 
were  doubled  in  order  to  make  the  ascent.  On  the  south  side  of 
State,  Mrs.  Preston,  since  Mrs.  Selden  M.  Church,  had  a  dwell- 
ing, and  was  married  there.  The  crossing  of  the  river  was  by 
ferry- boat,  which  would  carry  two  teams  at  a  time.  John  Fisher 
was  ferryman,  and  he  was  assisted  by  Asher  Miller.  Rock  river 
was  a  clear,  beautiful  stream  at  its  ordinary  stage.  So  small  a 
portion  of  the  prairies  was  under  cultivation  that  the  soil  did 
not  wash  into  the  stream.  Its  banks  sloped  gently  from  the 
ford,  as  far  up  as  one  could  see.  There  was  a  small  island  near 
the  present  water-works,  and  another  farther  north.  Both  were 
nearly  submerged  by  the  effect  of  the  dam.  A  large  number  of 
teams  crossed  the  river  at  the  ford.  In  ordinary  stage  of  water 
it  was  from  two  to  two  and  a  half  feet  deep,  all  rock  bottom. 
It  was  quite  an  attractive  sight  when  several  teams  followed  in 
succession.  In  this  way  they  saved  the  ferriage  fee.  Many 
teams  were  employed  in  transporting  merchandise  from  Chicago 
to  Galena  and  points  up  the  Mississippi.  On  their  return  trips 


GOODS  PURCHASED  IN  NEW  YORK.  239 

they  often  bought  wheat  and  sold  it  in  Chicago.  At  times, 
when  the  ice  in  the  river  had  not  become  strong  enough,  and 
about  the  season  it  was  breaking  up,  neither  ford,  ferry  nor  row- 
boats  were  available,  however  important  one's  business  might 
be.  Sometimes  this  condition  continued  several  days.  The 
bridge,  when  completed  after  much  delay  and  discouragement, 
formed  a  bond  of  union  between  the  two  sides ;  but  it  must  not 
be  supposed  that  perfect  harmony  existed  among  the  leading 
men  in  the  management  of  their  respective  sides.  William  E. 
Dunbar,  E.  H.  Potter,  Willard  Wheeler  and  Dr.  Searle  were  on 
the  East  side;  and  Charles  I.  Horsman,  G.  A.  Sanford,  John  A. 
Holland,  S.  M.  Church  and  T.  D.  Robertson  were  citizens  of  the 
West  side.  They  were  representative  men,  loyal  to  the  interests 
of  Rockford,  but  much  more  loyal  to  their  respective  sides. 
Sharp  conflicts  were  frequent. 

On  the  West  side,  between  the  river  and  Main  street,  there 
was  one  building,  a  dwelling,  on  the  north  side  of  State.  There 
was  none  on  the  south  side  until  reaching  the  corner  of  State 
and  Main.  A  two-story  brick  building,  nearly  new,  was  occupied 
by  G.  A.  Sanford  as  a  general  store.  He  kept  the  largest  and 
best  stock  of  goods  on  the  West  side.  He  had  about  eleven 
hundred  dollars  invested,  and  enjoyed  a  very  good  trade.  He 
was  a  leading  man  in  all  new  enterprises  for  village  improve- 
ment on  the  West  side ;  he  was  thoroughly  interested  in  whatever 
contributed  to  the  religious,  educational  or  business  prosperity 
of  the  village.  Mr.  Sanford  was  a  man  of  great  energy,  and 
had  just  completed  a  term  as  sheriff  of  the  county.  He  had 
many  desperate  characters  to  deal  with ;  and  nothing  but  his 
determined  bravery  enabled  him  to  succeed.  Mr.  Sanford  was 
acquainted  with  every  resident  in  the  county,  and  was  held  in 
high  esteem.  He  took  in  a  partner,  then  twenty-four  years  of 
age.  The  manner  of  doing  business  was  quite  different  from 
the  present,  and  some  particulars  may  be  of  interest. 

The  money  was  in  great  variety,  gold  and  silver  as  well  as 
paper.  There  were  no  banks,  and  funds  were  exchanged  as 
far  as  possible  by  such  as  could  buy  New  York  exchange  in  Chi- 
cago. Gold,  for  purchasing  goods,  was  carried  in  money-belts 
to  New  York.  Hiram  R.  Maynard  was  about  to  go  into  busi- 
ness. He  entrusted  his  money  and  gave  full  authority  to  the 
junior  partner  to  purchase  a  general  stock.  In  the  aggregate 
it  was  quite  a  sum  of  money,  for  the  time,  to  take  along.  He 
would  have  been  a  good  subject  for  the  thieves  that  infested  the 


240          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

country  if  they  had  known  his  treasure.  The  partner  started 
for  New  York  on  Thursday,  February  20,  1845.  He  had  a  fine, 
large  buffalo-robe  to  protect  him  from  the  weather.  The  ice  in 
the  river  was  breaking  up ;  but  two  strong  men  in  a  row-boat 
crossed  among  floating  cakes  of  ice,  and  took  a  mud  wagon 
stage  on  the  East  side.  The  roads  were  bad,  but  two  nights  and 
a  part  of  three  days  brought  him  safely  to  Chicago  on  Satur- 
day. The  partner  stopped  at  the  American  Temperance  House, 
well  kept  by  Brown  &  Tuttle.  This  was  a  newer  and  better 
building  than  theTremont  or  Mansion.  The  Sherman  was  the 
only  brick  hotel  in  the  city,  located  on  its  present  ground.  The 
partner  attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church  on  Sunday. 
This  was  a  one-story,  frame  structure.  There  were  nothing  but 
frame  churches  in  Chicago  at  that  time.  On  Monday  he  took 
the  stage  by  way  of  Michigan  City  to  Detroit ;  stage  again  from 
Detroit  through  Canada  to  Buffalo,  traveling  night  and  da}7 ; 
railroad  from  there  to  Albany;  flat  rail;  and  two  days  from 
there  to  his  old  home  in  the  Catskill  mountains.  As  the  goods 
could  not  be  shipped  until  the  opening  of  the  Hudson  river  and 
the  Erie  canal,  he  delayed  purchasing  until  that  time.  The 
canal  boats  were  loaded  in  New  York,  and  towed  to  Albany. 
It  was  considered  very  good  time  if  goods  came  from  New  York 
to  Rockford  in  three  weeks.  The  partner  returned  by  way  of 
the  lakes,  and  arrived  in  Rockford  May  1st,  and  most  of  the 
goods  were  received  during  the  month.  Mr.  Maynard's  stock 
also  came  in  good  time,  and  he  expressed  himself  well  satisfied 
with  his  selection. 

The  sign  of  W.  A.  Dickerman  &  Co.  was  seen  on  the  brick 
store,  corner  of  State  and  Main.  It  was  about  twenty  by  fifty 
deep ;  counter  on  one  side,  and  the  east  end  was  now  filled  with 
a  well  selected  stock  of  dry  goods,  groceries,  crockery,  hard- 
ware, and  some  drugs.  Such  a  stock  was  kept  as  found  ready 
purchasers  from  all  parts  of  the  county.  The  partners  were 
never  happier  in  a  business  way  than  then.  Before  harvesting, 
grain  was  all  cut  with  hand  cradles,  and  raked  and  bound  by 
hand,  which  required  additional  help  and  greater  supplies.  I 
took  our  team  and  went  to  Galena,  which  then  had  a  large 
wholesale  grocery  trade,  mainly  in  the  mining  region.  Steam- 
ers brought  their  supplies  from  New  Orleans  and  St.  Louis,  and 
shipped  away  their  lead.  I  purchased  a  supply  of  goods  and 
returned  within  a  week.  This  purchase  gave  us  a  complete 
stock  until  fall  purchases  could  be  made  in  New  York. 


WEST  STATE  STREET.  241 


On  the  Ashton  corner  was  a  two-story  brick  hotel,  called 
the  Winnebago  House.  Thence  west  there  were  no  buildings  on 
either  side  of  State,  until  we  arrive  at  the  court  house,  which 
was  the  pride  of  the  whole  county.  The  new  building  was  well 
adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  community.  The  main  building 
was  a  court  room,  with  two  rooms  in  rear  for  jury,  and  awing 
on  each  side,  occupied  respectively  by  the  county  clerk,  recorder, 
sheriff,  circuit  clerk,  and  probate  justice  of  the  peace.  The 
last  office  was  held  by  Selden  M.  Church,  who  occupied  the  west 
wing.  The  court  room  served  a  good  purpose  for  lectures  and 
public  gatherings.  It  was  then  the  only  public  hall  in  town.  A 
brick  jail  in  the  rear,  near  the  present  location,  was  really  the 
best  in  the  country,  and  considered  very  secure.  Samuel  C. 
Fuller,  the  jailer,  was  a  man  well  fitted  for  the  time;  he  was 
ready  for  any  emergency,  and  perfectly  fearless.  He  had  the 
Mulford  robbers  and  several  desperate  horse-thieves  in  charge 
at  one  time.  A  special  guard  was  kept  at  night  for  a  time  dur- 
ing their  confinement  awaiting  trial ;  also  to  convey  them  across 
the  country  to  the  penitentiary  after  their  conviction. 

On  the  McPherson  corner,  north  of  the  courthouse,  was  the 
residence  of  Dr.  Alden  Thomas.  He  was  a  natural  gentleman, 
reliable,  and  active  in  church  and  society  work.  He  had  nearly 
retired  from  medical  practice.  On  the  Horsman  estate,  which 
retains  its  trees  and  natural  appearance  more  than  any  other 
place  in  the  city,  resided  Abiram  and  Mrs.  Morgan.  Though 
rather  a  small  house,  their  good  cheer  made  it  abound  in  hos- 
pitality. Their  daughter  and  her  husband,  Charles  I.  Horsman, 
were  very  genial,  and  made  their  home  attractive.  They  were 
fond  of  society.  Parties  were  frequent,  and  guests  from  Belvi- 
dere  and  Freeport  were  usually  in  attendance.  No  party  was 
considered  complete  without  the  presence  of  Mrs.  Morgan. 
Their  church  home  was  the  First  Baptist,  where  they  were  gen- 
erous contributors. 

West  on  State  street,  this  side  of  Kent's  creek,  which  was 
then  quite  a  large,  beautiful  stream,  was  a  cemetery,  near  Mrs. 
Richings'  residence.  But  another  retired  place  had  been  selected 
in  the  woods,  which  it  was  supposed  would  not  be  disturbed 
for  many  years ;  and  most  of  the  bodies  had  been  removed 
there.  When  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  railroad  was  built, 
the  company  wanted  the  grounds.  The  proceeds  of  that  sale 
purchased  the  beautiful  West  side  cemetery,  and  furnished  a 
fund  for  its  improvement.  The  bodies  were  again  removed, 


242          HISTORY  Of  ROCKFORD  AND  WIN  NEB  AGO  COUNTY. 

and  owners  of  lots  in  the  former  grounds  were  given  lots  in  the 
new  cemetery. 

The  first  house  west  of  the  city  limits  was  occupied  by  a 
Scotch  shepherd.  His  sheep  often  came  down  and  fed  in  the 
woods.  In  hot  weather  they  found  a  comfortable  place  under 
the  Congregational  church,  which  was  built  on  a  block  founda- 
tion, about  two  feet  off  the  ground.  Nearly  every  family  kept 
their  own  cows,  as  there  was  a  large  range  for  them  in  which  to 
run.  It  was  sometimes  difficult  to  find  them  if  they  did  not  come 
home  at  night.  To  remedy  this  perplexity,  many  put  bells  on 
them.  Each  owner  aimed  to  get  one  that  he  could  recognize  at  a 
distance.  It  was  quite  pleasant  music  when  several  cows  came 
home  together.  There  were  but  few  enclosed  farms  between 
Rockford  and  Twelve-Mile  Grove. 

Before  going  down  on  Main  street  we  hear  the  stage-driver's 
horn.  Frink,  Walker  &  Co.'s  tri-weekly  mail  stage  is  coming  in 
from  Galena.  See  that  skilled  driver  cracking  his  long  whip 
over  his  horses !  How  beautifully  he  drives  down  State  street ! 
He  is  the  admiration  of  all  the  boys,  as  he  reins  up  his  pranc- 
ing horses  at  the  Winnebago  House.  In  fact,  he  attracts  every- 
body. It  equaled  a  special  train  at  this  time,  for  he  brings 
distinguished  company:  Judge  Thomas  C.  Brown,  M.  D.  John- 
son, Thomas  Drummond  and  E.  B.  Washburne,  of  Galena; 
Thomas  J.  Turner  and  Martin  P.  Sweet,  of  Freeport.  They 
made  a  specially  quick  run,  less  than  eighteen  hours  from  Galena. 
They  came  to  attend  circuit  court.  It  was  expected  then  to  see 
several  lawyers  from  other  counties  attending  courts.  The  best 
horses  and  most  gorgeous  coaches  started  and  came  in  from 
the  two  ends  of  the  line,  to  and  fnom  Rockford.  They  crossed 
the  river  on  the  ferry-boat  to  the  stage  house  on  the  East  side, 
and  then  to  the  stage  barn,  where  a  fresh  relay  of  horses  and 
another  driver  were  provided ;  and  soon  the  passengers  are 
moving  rapidly  toward  Chicago.  About  the  same  time  the 
stage  rushes  in  from  Chicago,  and  brings  the  United  States  mail. 
Then  comes  the  rush  for  letters  by  all  who  have  twenty-five 
cents  to  pay  the  letter  postage.  In  this  sta,gecome  the  lawyers, 
Allen  C.  Fuller,  James  M.  Loop  and  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut,  of 
Belvidere.  The  excitement  of  the  arrival  and  departure  of  the 
stages  for  two  days  is  now  over,  and  we  will  go  down  Main 
street. 

The  Horsman  lot,  Porter's  corner,  is  vacant  to  the  court 
house.  Where  Daniel  Dow's  block  now  stands,  he  had  a  small, 


FEVER  AND  AGUE.  243 


one-story  building,  a  shoe-shop,  in  which  he  worked.  George 
Tullock  worked  for  him.  They  were  young  men.  This  shop 
was  a  popular  resort  in  the  evening  to  discuss  the  news  of  the 
day.  In  the  autumn,  on  bright  sunny  days,  fever  and  ague 
subjects  found  the  front  a  pleasant  lounging-place.  They  sat  on 
boxes  and  joked  each  other  about  his  pale,  sallow  face.  Their 
recitals  about  jarring  the  house,  and  shaking  themselves  out  of 
their  boots,  either  amusing  or  frightening  their  families,  were 
quite  ridiculous.  Fortunately,  most  of  the  houses  were  only 
one  story  at  that  time.  Here  comes  Uncle  Stone,  an  old  vet- 
eran, who  lives  near  the  cemetery,  on  the  bank  of  Kent's  creek, 
by  the  mill-dam,  which  is  a  regular  breeder  of  ague.  He  has  had  a 
hard  tussle  with  it  for  two  or  three  years.  "How  about  the  chills 
this  year,  Uncle?  "  "I  had  an  awful  time  yesterday;  thought 
I  would  shake  my  teeth  out;  folks  all  sick;  but  I'm  goin'  ter 
wear  the  ager  out  this  year  or  quit.  It  comes  only  once  a  week 
now."  "Well,  you  don't  look  much  like  conquering  such  a 
powerfurenemy ;  it  is  more  likely  that  you  will  be  laid  away  in 
the  cemetery."  As  a  parting  salute  to  Fever  and  Ague,  I  say 
that  I  never  heard  a  good  word  spoken  for  you ;  though  you 
mingled  in  good  society,  you  always  commenced  the  fight  when 
we  were  convalescing  from  bilious  or  typhoid  fever ;  and  how- 
ever polite  our  solicitations,  you  never  left  until  driven  away  by 
good  health. 

Very  near  Mr.  Dow's  shoe-shop  was  G.  A.  Sanford's  resi- 
dence, with  many  additions.  This  was  my  home  about  two 
years.  A  part  of  it  may  now  be  seen  on  the  lot  south  of  Keyt's 
livery  stable,  near  the  centre  bridge.  A  house  on  this  lot  was 
the  first  one  occupied  as  a  store  by  John  Platt  and  G.  A.  San- 
ford,  and  as  a  dwelling  by  them  and  1).  D.  Ailing  and  their 
wives.  On  the  Chick  House  corner  was  a  dwelling  house  occu- 
pied by  Albert  Sanford  and  Hiram  R.  Maynard.  Both  were 
recently  married ;  they  were  men  of  strict  integrity,  and  were 
highly  esteemed  for  generous,  kindly  acts  in  daily  life.  Albert 
was  one  of  those  genial,  social  neighbors  who  could  brighten 
the  dark  places  of  many  sick  and  discouraged  ones,  and  always 
ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand.  On  the  east  side  of  Main  street, 
near  Loomis'  store,  was  a  dwelling  occupied  by  H.  W.  Loomis, 
his  father  and  mother.  On  the  Winnebago  Bank  corner  was  a 
dwelling  occupied  by  H.  L.  Rood,  an  active  man,  but  not  then 
engaged  in  business.  He  was  gentlemanly  and  affable ;  looked 
after  the  strangers,  and  was  ever  ready  to  show  them  the 


244          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

village,  for  which  he  always  predicted  a  bright  future.  H.  R. 
Maynard  built  a  one-story  store  on  the  Masonic  Tern  pie  corner, 
which  he  occupied  a  short  time.  Itwasthen  used  by  C.  A.  Hunt- 
ington  as  an  academy.  The  Second  Congregational  church  was 
organized  in  this  building  in  1849.  It  is  now  used  as  a  black- 
smith's shop  near  Mrs.  Brett's  block.  Near  the  south  corner, 
now  the  site  of  the  Brown  Building,  was  a  small  cabinet-shop. 
Boston  rockers,  Windsor  chairs,  wooden  seats,  other  articles 
of  furniture,  and  coffins  were  manufactured  here.  I  do  not  recol- 
lect any  other  buildings  on  this  side  of  the  street  until  arriving 
at  Ephraim  Wyman's  bakery.  This  was  located  near  the  ford. 
It  was  convenient  for  emigrants  and  teamsters  to  get  their 
supplies,  as  many  camped  out,  and  slept  in  their  wagons  at 
night.  This  was  cash  trade,  and  valuable,  as  the  village  pat- 
ronage was  small.  Kent's  creek  was  forded  somewhat  east  of 
Main  street.  Wyman's  bakery  was  the  place  where  the  young 
men  could  indulge  in  the  luxury  of  his  home-made  beer  and 
ginger-bread,  and  enjoy  his  good  cheer.  We  remember  him  as  a 
generous,  whole-souled  man.  His  business  naturally  attracted 
the  hungry  and  destitute;  and  if  worthy  they  were  never  turned 
away.  His  daily  life  was  exemplary,  and  his  counsel  good.  The 
records  of  Winnebago  county  show  that  very  important  trusts 
were  committed  to  him ;  and  he  never  proved  false  to  the  con- 
fidence reposed  in  him.  Opportunities  were  not  lacking  for  him 
to  secure  a  competence,  but  he  preferred  the  consciousness  of 
doing  right  at  all  times.  Like  many  of  the  early  business  men, 
he  came  to  the  close  of  his  life  in  limited  circumstances,  and  left 
the  inheritance  of  a  good  name.  After  the  bridge  was  built  he 
came  up  on  State  street,  and  started  a  boarding  house. 

The  log  and  frame  dwelling,  supposed  to  be  the  first  build- 
ing on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  was  occupied  by  Germanicus 
Kent.  When  Main  street  was  opened  it  was  removed  across 
the  creek.  Mr.  Kent  was  associated  with  Mr.  Brinckerhoff.  They 
nominally  owned  several  tracts  of  land  south  and  west  of  the 
village,  which  have  since  become  very  valuable.  They  were 
unsuccessful  in  their  enterprises.  Mr.  Briuckerhoff  left  town 
before  I  came,  and  Mr.  Kent's  family  removed  the  year  that  I 
arrived.  I  had  but  little  personal  acquaintance  with  them; 
but  I  always  heard  them  spoken  of  in  the  highest  terms.  There 
was  a  dwelling  where  the  Emerson  stone  warehouse  now  stands, 
south  of  the  Northwestern  railroad  track,  occupied  by  Deras- 
tus  Harper,  the  bridge  contractor.  On  the  northeast  corner  of 


SUNDA Y  AT  THE  FURR Y.  245 

the  same  block,  was  a  dwelling  owned  and  occupied  by  Nathan- 
iel Wilder,  a  good  blacksmith,  from  Keene,  New  Hampshire. 
He  was  a  genuine  New  England  Yankee.  Block  seventeen,  next 
north,  was  covered  with  a  fine  growth  of  oak,  with  no  build- 
ings. On  the  corner  north  of  the  postoffice  was  a  dwelling  built 
by  Mr.  Brinckerhoff.  It  was  the  first  house  for  a  great  many 
new-comers  until  they  could  build.  Sometimes  three  families 
were  thus  accommodated  at  the  same  time.  The  building  still 
stands  on  the  same  ground.  The  prettiest  building  on  the 
street  was  called  "The  Cottage,"  and  was  occupied  by  John  W. 
Taylor,  who  came  here  with  his  young  wife  from  Albany,  New 
York.  They  were  genteel,  excellent  people.  For  a  time  Mr. 
Taylor  sold  goods  in  a  store  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Chest- 
nut; but  it  was  closed  when  I  came.  David  D.  Alling's  carpen- 
ter's shop,  a  little  north  of  it,  still  stands.  His  dwelling  was 
near  it.  Mr.  Ailing  was  fond  of  hunting,  and  very  successful. 
He  usually  had  some  dried  venison  hams  hanging  in  his  shop. 
Mr.  Ailing  built  the  house  for  W.  A.  Dickerman,  on  North  Main 
street,  before  that  street  was  opened.  The  house  was  one  of 
the  best,  and  almost  the  first  that  was  covered  with  pine  lum- 
ber. This  house  is  now  owned  by  William  F.  Woodruff.  A 
house  where  the  Blaisdell  block  now  stands  completed  the 
buildings  on  South  Main  street,  which  was  the  most  thickly 
settled  of  any  part  of  the  West  side. 

We  have  very  pleasant  recollections  of  the  Congregational 
church,  a  building  forty  feet  square,  on  the  corner  of  Church 
and  Green  streets,  which  was  then  attended  by  all  the  Congre- 
gationalists  and  Presbyterians  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  as  well 
as  by  many  Unitarians.  The  New  York  friends  of  Kent  and 
Brinckerhoff,  who  principally  furnished  the  funds  for  the  erec- 
tion of  the  little  church,  knew  but  little  of  its  power  for  good  in 
laying  the  foundations  of  a  prosperous  Christian  community. 
The  attendance  there  embraced  all  the  church-goers  except  the 
Baptists  and  Methodists.  Let  us  go  down  to  the  ferry-boat 
Sunday  morning,  and  see  who  come  across  the  river.  Among 
our  acquaintances  who  attend  this  church  are :  Charles  Works 
and  family,  James  Works,  Peter  B.  Johnson  and  James  B. 
Johnson  and  their  families,  Gabriel  Dunning  and  family,  Dea- 
con Ira  Baker  and  family,  Alfred  P.  Mather,  Horace  Foote, 
William  E.  Dunbar,  Jason  Marsh,  Volney  A.  Marsh,  James  M. 
Wight,  Charles  H.  Spafford,  John  Spafford,  B.  H.  Potter,  Her- 
man Potter,  Joel  B.  Potter,  Asa  Crosby,  B.  G.  Wheeler,  Dr.  A. 


246         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY, 

M.  Catlin,  and  their  families;  theHerrick  family, Lewis  Gregory, 
Judge  Bela  Shaw,  William  P.  Dennis,  Anson  Barnum,  Henry 
Silsby,  Mr.  Tinker,  and  H.  Burrows  and  family  The  statement 
was  made  some  time  ago  that  the  first  church  bell  used  in 
Rockford  was  placed  on  the  Presbyterian  church.  I  do  not 
know  of  any  such  bell;  but  I  do  know  that  Rev.  Mr.  Norton, 
who  preceded  Rev.  William  Curtis  in  the  Congregational  church, 
brought  a  bell  and  had  it  placed  and  used  in  that  church. 
When  he  left,  the  church  did  not  purchase  it,  and  he  took  it 
away.  I  also  know  of  a  Meneely  bell,  weighing  six  hundred 
and  forty  pounds,  which  I  purchased  in  New  York.  This  was 
for  the  brick  Congregational  church  on  the  corner  of  First  and 
Walnut  streets. 

OQ  North  Main  street  a  brick  blacksmith's  shop  stood  on 
the  site  of  Louck's  restaurant,  occupied  by  Stephen  Skinner,  a 
good  blacksmith,  a  man  of  strict  integrity,  and  a  deacon  in  the 
Congregational  church.  His  residence  was  just  north  of  the 
shop.  On  the  west  side  of  Main  street,  at  the  north  end  of  the 
Winnebago  House,  Cyrus  F.  and  Anson  S.  Miller  had  a  law 
office.  They  were  good  lawyers.  Alison  S.  was  quite  promi- 
nent as  a  politician.  Adjoining  their  office,  in  the  same  build- 
ing, Isaac  Andrus  had  a  small  store.  He  was  quite  an  active 
man  in  the  First  Baptist  church.  Where  the  Presbyterian 
church  now  stands,  Michael  Burns,  a  tailor,  resided.  He  was 
always  posted  in  the  news  of  the  town,  attended  closely  to  his 
business,  and  was  active  in  church  work.  Near  by  was  Austin 
Colton's  residence,  which  may  now  be  seen  just  north  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  He  was  editor  and  proprietor  of  the 
Rockford  Forum,  a  good  weekly  paper  for  the  time,  creditable 
to  himself  and  to  the  village.  On  the  north  side  of  North  street 
was  John  Beattie's  residence,  where  his  family  still  resides.  Main 
street  ended  at  William  A.  Talcott's  residence.  A  road  ran 
east  about  a  block,  then  north,  following  about  that  distance 
from  the  river,  to  the  entrance  of  Dr.  Haskell's  residence,  front- 
ing the  river,  now  occupied  by  George  Forbes.  He  selected  the 
highest  partof  thisground,  which  slopes  to  the  west,  south  and 
east.  There  were  no  buildings  to  obstruct,  and  it  was  a  beau- 
tiful view,  surrounded  with  an  orchard  of  thrifty  fruit  trees. 
Apples  were  in  great  variety,  early  and  late,  and  pears,  peaches 
and  plums  just  coming  into  bearing.  I  think  it  extended  to 
Court  street,  and  north  to  Fisher  avenue.  The  Doctor  was 
closely  identified  with  the  interests  of  the  town.  He  had  a  fair 


ATTEMPT  AT  SILK  CULTURE.  247 

medical  practice,  from  which  he  was  retiring.  It  was  the  cus- 
tom to  be  very  generous  in  doses  of  medicine.  His  hand-made 
pills  assured  his  patients  that  he  had  not  called  simply  for  a 
visit.  As  there  were  no  dentists,  the  only  remedy  for  aching, 
decayed  teeth  was  to  extract  them,  and  that  with  turnkeys. 
All  physicians  were  experts  in  this  line  of  torture.  The  memory 
of  experience  in  that  line  is  not  at  all  effaced  by  years.  I  made 
a  friendly  call  at  the  house,  and  found  Mrs.  Haskell  and  her 
daughter  preparing  and  knitting  silk  stockings  for  themselves. 
Silk  worms  had  been  fed  from  mulberry  leaves  grown  on  their  own 
trees,  and  the  silk  wound  and  twisted  from  their  cocoons.  The 
daughter  is  the  mother  of  Dr.  F.  H.  and  Willis  Kimball.  The 
family  were  genuine  New  Englanders,  industrious  and  economi- 
cal. There  had  been  quite  an  excitement  over  growing  mulberry 
trees,  for  ornamental,  shade  and  fruit  trees,  and  silk  culture. 
They  made  a  quick  growth,  but  did  not  prove  a  profitable 
investment. 

Following  the  river  road  from  the  Beattie  grounds  north, 
near  the  river  bank,  was  a  beautiful  boulevard,  of  which  we 
would  be  proud  today.  The  next  house  was  nearT.  D.  Robert- 
son's residence.  Continuing  north  on  Main  street,  was  a  house 
occupied  by  James  Taylor,  an  industrious  farmer.  He  did 
express  work  about  town  occasionally,  with  his  oxen  and  cart. 
Farther  north,  on  the  line  of  Harlem  avenue,  near  Auburn 
street,  was  a  large  two-story  building,  erected  for  a  hotel  by 
Charles  Reed,  who  was  so  confident  that  the  State  road  from 
Chicago  to  Galena  would  cross  the  river  at  this  point,  that  he 
not  only  put  up  the  hotel,  but  had  a  full  section  of  land  laid  off 
into  blocks  and  lots,  and  called  his  village  Winnebago.  In  his 
opinion,  it  was  a  very  unwise  thing  when  the  state  road  was 
laid  across  the  river  at  Rockford.  About  the  20th  of  October 
we  had  a  heavy  snowstorm.  We  fitted  up  a  lumber  wagon  box 
on  a  sleigh,  took  in  a  jolly  company  of  young  ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen, and  had  a  genuine  enjoyable  sociable,  or  "sewing  soci- 
ety," as  it  was  then  called,  at  the  Reed  house. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

THE  SOCIAL  LIFE  OF  ROCKFORD  IN  THE  EARLY  FORTIES. 

THE  aristocracy  of  a  community  is  always  founded  upon 
what  its  people  believe  to  be  the  chief  good.  Whenever 
the  emphasis  is  placed  upon  noble  family  descent,  the  aristoc- 
racy is  founded  upon  blood.  If  intellectual  culture  is  the  sum- 
mum  bonum,  -the  charmed  circle  will  be  composed  of  artists, 
poets  and  literati.  When  money  is  considered  the  first  object 
of  pursuit,  wealth  will  be  the  basis  of  aristocracy.  In  the  social 
life  of  ancient  Rome,  the  patricians  were  the  descendants  of  the 
first  settlers.  From  that  day  to  this  aristocracy  has  rested  in 
a  measure  upon  good  birth.  The  fact  that  a  man  is  well  born 
is  accepted  as  a  letter  of  credit  the  wide  world  over. 

The  "open  sesame"  to  good  society  in  the  early  days  of 
Rockford  was  not  noble  blood,  nor  culture,  nor  wealth.  If  any 
aristocracy  had  developed,  it  rested  upon  common  respecta- 
bility. The  society  of  Rockford  from  fifty  to  sixty  years  ago 
was  of  the  highest  class.  It  was  characterized  by  a  delightful 
Arcadian  simplicity.  The  settlers  were  not  burdened  with  the 
care  of  large  houses,  and  costly  furniture,  and  expensive  ward- 
robes. The  axiom  that  one  might  as  well  be  out  of  the  world 
as  out  of  fashion  was  the  invention  of  a  later  date.  It  was  not 
considered  good  form  for  a  lady  to  make  a  formal  afternoon 
call  when  she  might  suppose  that  the  lady  of  the  house  would 
be  absent,  and  leave  her  card  with  the  maid,  with  solemn  pro- 
testations of  regret  that  the  lady  of  the  house  was  not  at  home. 
In  fact,  there  were  no  domestics;  hence  the  servant  girl  problem 
did  not  threaten  domestic  tranquility  and  the  general  welfare. 
Instead  of  a  large  number  of  calls  in  an  afternoon,  friends  would 
make  an  afternoon  and  evening  visit.  Gentlemen  were  allowed 
at  these  functions.  Meetings  for  benevolent  purposes  were  held 
at  private  houses,  and  substantial  refreshments  were  served 
which  the  guests  could  eat.  Societies  were  then  founded  which 
still  have  an  existence.  Hospitality  was  of  the  true  and  genu- 
ine sort.  A  walk  of  two  or  three  miles  did  not  require  much 


NOTABLE  WEDDINGS.  249 


effort,  although  there  were  no  sidewalks  nor  street  lamps.  A 
hand  lantern,  brilliantly  illuminated  with  a  candle  or  oil  lamp, 
and  cheerful  company,  would  dispel  the  most  dense  Egyptian 
darkness.  Sometimes  a  little  company  would  go  in  lumber 
wagons  three  to  five  miles  into  the  country  for  a  rehearsal  of 
church  music  with  a  friend.  The  music  and  the  social  converse 
were  alike  enjoyable.  Literary  entertainments  were  occasion- 
ally given  at  the  court  house. 

Weddings  were  not  of  very  frequent  occurrence ;  but  they 
were  the  large  social  gatherings,  and  the  invitations  were  quite 
general.  The  marriage  of  M.  H.  Regan  and  Miss  Louisa Dewey 
occurred  in  1845.  He  invited  the  young  people  to  a  wedding 
supper  at  the  American  House  in  Belvidere.  They  made  quite 
an  attractive  appearance,  writes  Mr.  Dicker  man,  as  they  started 
in  their  private  conveyance.  There  were  no  top  buggies  or 
carriages  in  Rockford  at  that  time. 

The  wedding  of  Charles  H.  Spafford  and  Miss  Abby  Warren 
was  solemnized  March  8,  1842,  at  the  residence  of  Jason 
Marsh.  The  Rockford  Pilot  says  the  party  was  large  and  bril- 
liant. The  bride  had  come  to  Rockford  in  the  autumn  of  1841, 
to  keep  house  for  her  brother,  Edward  Warren,  the  second  post- 
master of  the  village.  Mr.  Warren  had  built  the  upright  part 
of  the  present  residence  of  Dr.  Lichty,  on  the  corner  of  Third 
and  Walnut  streets.  It  was  built  of  brick,  and  entirely  finished 
in  black  walnut.  Mrs.  Spafford's  father,  Joseph  Warren,  was 
a  son  of  Dr.  John  Warren,  who  was  surgeon-general  in  Wash- 
iagton's  army,  and  a  brother  of  General  Joseph  Warren,  who 
was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  Mrs.  Spafford's  father 
received  his  education  at  Cambridge.  His  death  occurred  when 
his  daughter  was  five  years  of  age.  Mrs.  Spafford  was  also 
descended  from  Governor  John  Collins,  the  last  colonial  governor 
of  Rhode  Island.  She  was  educated  in  the  east  and  upon  her 
settlement  in  Rockford  she  became  prominent  in  the  social  life  of 
the  village.  Her  religious  sympathies  have  always  been  with 
the  Unitarian  church. 

May  20,  1845,  Selden  M.  Church  and  Mrs.  Mary  Preston 
were  united  in  marriage.  Mr.  Thurston  gives  this  incident  in 
his  Reminiscences:  "At  one  p.  m.  sharp  that  day,  I  drove  up 
to  the  front  of  the  Rockford  House  with  'Black  Lucy, 'the  hand- 
somest horse  in  the  town,  hitched  in  the  shafts  of  an  open  buggy 
with  wood  axles,  basswood  dash,  seat  upholstered  with  a  buffalo- 
robe,  and  clean  harness—the  best  in  town — from  the  livery  of 


iJ50         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND   WINNEHAGO  COUNTY. 

Tyler  &  Thurston,  which  equipage  I  had  in  charge  for  the  occa- 
sion, and  handed  the  reins  to  the  Judge.  He  was  followed  as  he 
drove  off  by  the  benedictions  of  the  assembly.  We  had  no  shoes 
to  throw  after  them,  as  they  were  required  for  personal  use, 
and  rice  had  not  yet  come  into  vogue;  but  God-bless-yous  and 
our  best  wishes  did  follow  in  the  wake  of  the  disappearing 
vehicle." 

Isaiah  Lyon  and  Mary  Hitchcock  were  married  March  31, 
1841.  The  bride's  father  was  Jonathan  Hitchcock.  He  had 
recently  built  the  brick  hou8^  at  111  North  First  street,  now 
occupied  by  E.  S.  Tebbetts  as  a  residence  and  dental  rooms.  The 
bridal  party  were  given  a  charivari.  This  is  of  French  origin, 
and  is  said  to  have  been  introduced  into  the  west  by  the  settlers 
of  that  nationality  at  Kaskaskia. 

There  was  considerable  social  intercourse  between  Rockford 
and  the  neighboring  towns.  The  settlers  of  Belvidere  and  Rock- 
ford  were  of  the  same  general  class.  Prof.  Whitman,  who  was  a 
stated  supply  at  one  timein  one  of  the  local  pulpits,  was  widely 
known  as  a  Baptist  clergyman  and  educator.  Mrs.  Whitman 
and  Mrs.  R.  S.  Molony,  a,lso  of  Belvidere,  were  nieces  of  Miss 
Matilda  Hoffman,  the  young  lady  to  whom  Washington  Irving 
was  engaged.  She  died  in  April,  1809,  at  the  age  of  eighteen. 
By  way  of  a  digression  it  may  be  said  that  Irving  slept  with 
her  Bible  and  prayer-book  under  his  pillow,  and  they  were  his 
inseparable  companions.  His  devotion  to  her  memory  caused 
him  to  remain  a  bachelor.  In  his  private  note-book  he  wroto: 
"She  died  in  the  beauty  of  her  youth,  and  in  my  memory  she 
will  ever  be  young  and  beautiful."  In  St.  Mark's  Eve,  in 
Bracebridge  Hall,  he  plaintively  says:  "There  are  departed 
beings  whom  I  have  loved  as  I  never  again  shall  love  in  this 
world — who  have  loved  me  as  I  never  again  shall  be  loved!" 
Miss  Hoffman  died  in  the  arms  of  Rebecca  Gratz,  a  beautiful 
Jewess  of  Philadelphia.  Irving  visited  Sir  Walter  Scott  in  1817 ; 
and  upon  the  strength  of  his  vivid  description  of  this  lady,  Sir 
Walter  made  her  the  heroine  of  Ivanhoe,  Rebecca,  the  most 
romantic  creation  of  female  character  that  the  author  ever  con- 
ceived. 

Dr.  Molony  represented  his  district  in  congress  from  1851 
to  1853,  as  a  Democrat.  Chicago  was  then  included  in  that 
district.  Senator  and  Mrs.  Stephen  A.  Douglas  were  occasional 
guests  at  the  Molony  home,  which  was  a  social  centre  in  the 
neighboring  village. 


SOCIETY  LEADERS.  251 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Abiram  Morgan  were  leaders  in  social  circles. 
Mrs.  Morgan  was  one  whom  everybody  esteemed.  Her  kindness, 
ready  sympathy,  genuine  hospitality  and  superior  housekeep- 
ing made  her  log-house  as  a  palace-home,  where  all  loved  to 
visit;  and  the  genius  of  the  place  remained  to  the  third  gen- 
eration. Their  grandchildren  are  Mrs.  Underwood  and  Mrs. 
Ogden,  daughters  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Horsman.  A  third  daughter 
died  when  a  child,  and  was  buried  in  a  corner  of  the  homestead 
grove,  where  her  grave  could  be  seen  for  many  years.  The 
remains  were  finally  removed  to  the  West  side  cemetery.  A 
grandson  of  Mr.  Ilorsman  has  developed  literary  talent,  and 
he  has  written  articles  for  the  magazines,  which  have  been  pub- 
lished during  the  past  year. 

Mrs.  Spafford  says  that  among  her  first  acquaintances  were 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  W.  Taylor.  In  their  home  was  the  essence 
of  hospitality.  Mr.  Taylor  was  always  the  courtly  and  attent- 
ive host,  and  Mrs.  Taylor  lent  a  charm  to  whatever  place  she 
occupied  by  the  sweetness  and  grace  of  her  manner.  Mr.  Taylor 
is  now  residing  in  New  York  City.  His  sister  was  the  first  Mrs. 
T.  D.  Robertson. 

James  Mitchell  was  one  of  nature's  noblemen.  There  were 
Francis  Burnap,  the  ancient  bachelor  and  astute  lawyer,  with  his 
wig,  which  never  quite  covered  the  natural  hair;  JudgeShaw,  an 
old-school  gentleman ;  and  David  Penfield,  whom  many  remem- 
ber with  respect.  The  three  Potter  brothers  and  their  families 
left  their  impress  upon  the  community  until  this  day.  The 
kindly  nature  and  ready  sympathy  of  Mrs.  Alden  Thomas 
endeared  her  to  all  her  friends.  Volney  Marsh,  with  his  tuning- 
fork  and  an  old-fashioned  singing-book,  with  which  he  kept 
time,  was  a  familiar  figure  in  the  singing-gallery.  "Brad" 
McKenney  was  quite  a  prominent  character  in  those  days.  It 
has  been  said  he  was  heard  more  in  public  than  any  other  man 
in  the  community.  He  was  known  far  and  wide  for  his  kindness 
of  heart,  and  he  would  leave  his  business  to  nurse  the  sick  when- 
ever his  services  were  needed. 

The  Sanford  brothers,  Albert,  Robert,  and  Goodyear  Asa, 
were  representative  society  men.  Robert  died  November  22, 
1871,  at  Virginia  City,  Montana,  aged  fifty  years.  Mrs.  A.  C. 
Spafford,  the  first  Mrs.  John  Spafford  and  Mrs.  I.  N.  Cunning- 
ham were  sisters.  Mrs.  W.  P.  Dennis  was  a  fine  housekeperand 
a  lady  of  refinement.  Shepherd  Leach  was  popular  in  social 
circles.  Rev.  William  S.  Curtis,  pastor  of  the  First  Congrega- 


252          BISTORT  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAOO  CODNTJ. 

tioiial  church,  was  highly  esteemed.  His  wife  was  Miss  Martha 
Leach,  a  sisterof  Shepherd  Leach.  Jason  Marsh  was  the  "Beau" 
Brummell  of  his  day.  Rev.  Lansing  Porter  had  a  wide  personal 
acquaintance. 

There  was  a  scarcity  of  young  society,  and  young  ladies 
were  at  a  premium.  A  well  known  young  man  of  the  village 
went  quite  a  distance  into  the  country  to  call  upon  some  young 
ladies.  The  old  gentleman,  their  father,  arose  from  his  chair  at 
nine  o'clock  and  announced  that  he  was  the  last  person  up  in 
the  house,  and  that  it  was  his  time  to  retire. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  differences  between  the  East 
and  West  sides  in  business  affairs,  in  the  social  life  of  the  com- 
munity there  were  no  two  sides  of  the  river.  A  common  feeling 
of  sympathy  made  them  one  people.  H.  H.  Waldo  comments 
in  this  wise  upon  Rockford  society  in  the  forties  and  fifties : 
"Society  was  free  from  artificial  distinctions.  The  pioneer  days 
were  the  red-letter  days  of  my  life.  I  would  like  to  live  them 
over  again.  There  was  a  more  fraternal  feeling  among  men  in 
the  same  line  of  business.  Competition  was  not  so  strong.  The 
popular  amusements  were  instructive  as  well  as  entertaining." 

The  larger  number  of  social  distinctions  are  natural  rather 
than  artificial.  Friendships  are  formed  upon  the  basis  of  social 
affinity,  which  is  as  truly  a  natural  law  as  chemical  affinity.  The 
public  ball  was  one  of  the  popular  amusements  among  a  class 
of  residents  of  the  olden  time.  These  balls  were  usually  held  at 
the  Rockford  House,  the  Washington  House,  or  the  Winuebago 
House.  Christmas  and  New  Year's  were  usually  chosen  for 
these  events.  Guests  came  from  considerable  distance.  At  a 
"union"  ball  held  at  the  Winnebago  House,  January  22,  1845, 
managers  were  elected  from  Rockford,  Whig  Hill,  Beloit,  Ros- 
coe,  Belvidere,  Cleveland,  Byron,  Grand  Detour, Oregon,  Dixon, 
and  Charleston.  The  sporting  element  has  been  admirably 
portrayed  by  Mr.  Thurston,  in  his  Reminiscences.  They  have 
the  genuine  flavor  of  an  interesting  phase  of  life  in  a  new  com- 
munity. Hunting  and  fishing  were  favorite  pastimes.  Barn- 
raisings  were  seasons  of  social  interest  as  well  as  of  mutual 
helpfulness.  Occasionally  a  marriage  would  be  followed  by  a 
charivari,  which,  happily,  has  become  obsolete  in  civilized  com- 
munities. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

PREDOMINANCE  OF  THE  NEW  ENGLAND  TYPE  IN  EARLY  ROCKPORD. 

P^-MERSON  observes  that  an  institution  is  the  lengthened 
L-  shadow  of  one  man ;  as,  the  Reformation  of  Luther ;  Meth- 
odism, of  Wesley ;  and  that  all  history  resolves  itself  into  the 
biography  of  a  few  stout  and  earnest  persons.  Thus,  he  says, 
"events  grow  on  the  same  stem  with  persons;  are  sub-persons." 
The  larger  number  of  the  early  settlers  of  Rockford  came  from 
New  England.  Some  emigrated  from  New  York  and  other 
states,  but  the  New  England  element  predominated.  These 
pioneers  impressed  their  personality  upon  this  community,  and 
it  has  remained  until  this  day.  The  New  Englanders,  in  their 
native  home,  were  a  homogeneous  race;  even  the  Chinese  were 
scarcely  more  so.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  Huguenot  families, 
who  came  from  the  old  world  at  the  close  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  and  who,  from  religious  sympathy  and  other  causes, 
were  easily  grafted  on  the  primeval  vine,  they  were  all  descend- 
ants of  English  stock. 

Industry,  thrift,  and  a  high  sense  of  personal  honor  are 
prominent  traits  in  the  typical  son  of  New  England.  Soil  and 
climate  determine  in  some  measure  the  character  of  a  people. 
The  rocky  soil  of  New  England  required  the  husbandman  to 
practice  the  virtue  of  industry.  In  a  speech  given  at  a  dinner 
of  the  Pilgrim  Society  in  Plymouth,  in  1855,  Wendell  Phillips 
gave  this  unique  characterization  of  the  Puritans:  "How  true 
it  is  that  the  Puritans  originated  no  new  truth !  How  true  it  is, 
also,  Mr.  President,  that  it  is  not  truth  which  agitates  the  world. 
Plato  in  the  groves  of  the  Academy  sounded  on  and  on  to  the 
utmost  depth  of  philosophy,  but  Athens  was  quiet.  Calling 
around  him  the  choicest  minds  of  Greece,  he  pointed  out  the 
worthlessness  of  their  altars  and  the  sham  of  public  life,  but 
Athena  was  quiet, — it  was  all  speculation.  When  Socrates 
walked  the  streets  of  Athens,  and,  questioning  every-day  life, 
struck  the  altar  till  the  faith  of  the  passer-by  faltered,  it  came 
close  to  ACTION,  and  immediately  they  gave  him  hemlock,  for 
the  city  was  turned  upside  down.  I  might  find  a  better  illustra- 


254         HISTORY  OF  ROCK  FORD  AND   WINNKBAGO  COUNTY. 

tion  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem.  What  the  Puritans  gave  the 
world  was  not  thought,  but  ACTION.  Europe  had  ideas,  but  she 
was  letting  '/  dare  not  wait  upon  /  would,'  like  the  cat  in  the 
adage.  The  Puritans,  with  native  pluck,  launched  out  into  the 
deep  sea.  Men,  who  called  themselves  thinkers,  had  been  creep- 
ing along  the  Mediterranean,  from  headland  to  headland,  in 
their  timidity;  the  Pilgrims  launched  boldty  out  into  the  Atlan- 
tic, and  trusted  God.  That  is  the  claim  they  have  upon  pos- 
terity. It  was  ACTION  that  made  them  what  they  were." 

That  which  is  purchased  at  the  greatest  cost  is  usually  the 
most  highly  treasured ;  and  thus  the  industrious  farmer  and 
artisan  became  frugal.  It  was  a  point  of  honor  with  a  true 
New  Englander  to  maintain  his  family  and  pay  his  debts.  This  he 
could  not  do  except  by  a  persevering  industry,  and  a  methodical 
and  prudent  management  of  his  affairs.  He  must  be  economi- 
cal if  he  would  be  generous,  or  even  just;  for  extravagance 
sooner  or  later  weakens  the  sense  of  moral  obligation.  These 
traits  of  industry  and  thrift  were  pleasantly  satirized  many 
years  ago  by  a  southern  writer,  in  the  following  paragraph  : 
"We  of  the  south  are  mistaken  in  the  character  of  these  people, 
when  we  think  of  them  only  as  peddlers  in  horn  flints  and  bark 
nutmegs.  Their  energy  and  enterprise  are  directed  to  all  objects, 
great  and  small,  within  their  reach.  At  the  fall  of  a  scanty 
rivulet,  they  set  up  their  little  manufactory  of  wooden  buttons 
or  combs ;  they  plant  a  barren  hillside  with  broomcorn,  and 
make  it  into  brooms  at  the  bottom, — and  on  its  top  they  erect 
a  windmill.  Thus,  at  a  single  spot,  you  may  set  the  air,  the 
earth  and  the  water  all  working  for  them.  But,  at  the  same 
time,  the  ocean  is  whitened  to  its  extremities  with  the  sails  of 
their  ships,  and  the  land  is  covered  with  their  works  of  art  and 
usefulness." 

The  early  New  Englanders  have  been  charged  with  coldness 
and  severity  of  manner.  For  an  austere  people,  however,  they 
have  been  easily  enkindled  with  noble  enthusiasms.  There  are 
certain  traits  prominent  in  their  type  of  character,  such  as  their 
love  of  order  and  the  habit  of  self-control,  which  hasty  observers 
have  mistaken  for  tokens  of  a  want  of  earnestness.  But  seldom, 
if  ever,  has  there  been  a  more  sublime  rage  than  was  shown  near 
Boston,  in  April,  1775,  and  for  eight  years  thereafter.  The 
accusation  most  frequently  repeated  against  those  stalwart 
people  is  that  of  religious  intolerance.  Christian  charity,  how- 
ever, has  been  a  slow  and  painful  evolution  through  the  centu- 


THE  NEW  ENGLAND  CHARACTER.  J55 

ries;  and  the  New  Englander  was  but  a  sharer  in  the  world-wide 
spirit  of  intolerance.  Perhaps  they  held  their  spinal  columns 
too  rigidly  erect,  and  carried  their  heads  too  high  to  view  with 
tender  sympathy  the  weak  and  sinful  world  about  them.  Nev- 
ertheless, they  bore  aloft  the  standard  of  righteousness  before  a 
lawless  generation,  and  planted  in  the  new  world  the  seeds  of 
patient,  practical  and  self-denying  morality.  Their  posterity 
have  sold  their  birthright  for  the  pottage  of  license  and  disre- 
gard of  the  moral  law.  Whatever  of  justice  there  may  be  in  the 
strictures  upon  those  ancient  worthies, it  maybe  observed  that 
no  Chauning,  nor  Sumner,  nor  Garfield  has  ever  been  nurtured 
in  the  atmosphere  of  a  Sunday  beer-garden. 

When  Judah  was  in  exile  in  Babylon,  her  prophet  Ezekiel 
had  a  vision  of  a  brighter  day.  "Afterward  he  brought  me 
again  unto  the  door  of  the  house;  and  behold,  waters  issued 
out  from  under  the  threshold  of  the  house  eastward ;  for  the 
forefront  of  the  house  stood  toward  the  east,  and  the  waters 
came  down  from  under,  from  the  right  side  of  the  house,  at  the 
south  side  of  the  altar."  This  river  was  primarily  a  symbol  of 
the  transformation  that  should  be  wrought  in  Canaan  to  make 
it  a  fit  dwelling-place  for  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  who  should 
return  to  Zion.  A  feature  of  Messianic  prophecy  is  the  promise 
of  the  renewal  of  nature  and  the  reconstruction  of  society.  In 
th'e  prophet's  vision,  the  stream  of  blessing  proceeded  from  the 
temple  of  Jehovah  ;  and  the  virtue  of  its  waters  was  received  as 
they,  flowed  by  the  altar  of  sacrifice.  In  the  mind  of  the  devout 
Hebrew,  Jehovah  was  always  to  be  found  in  his  visible  sanct- 
uary. The  Lord  was  in  his  holy  temple.  So  the  institutions 
of  an  enlightened  civilization  have  proceeded  from  the  Christian 
church,  through  the  sacrifice  of  the  noble  men  and  women  of 
the  past,  who  have  served  her  with  a  lover's  devotion.  The 
early  colleges  of  this  land,  with  very  few  exceptions,  were  the 
offspring  of  the  church,  and  consecrated  by  its  prayers. 

It  could  not  be  said  that  every  settler  of  Rockford  belonged 
to  the  highest  class ;  but  the  determining  force  in  the  commu- 
nity came  from  those  high  ideals  of  culture  and  religion,  and 
those  habits  of  economy,  industry,  integrity  and  temperance 
which  have  made  the  true  Englander  a  representative  of  the 
best  elements  in  our  civilization.  It  was  ordained  in  the  begin- 
ning that  seed  should  bring  forth  fruit  after  its  kind.  It  is  none 
the  less  true  in  social  and  moral  life.  The  moral  status  of  a  city 
or  country  as  truly  indicates  the  character  of  its  pioneers,  as 


256          BISTORT  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEDAOO  COUNTY. 

the  rich,  ripe  fruit  of  the  vineyard  tells  the  secret  of  its  seed  and 
culture. 

Hon.  R.  R.  Hitt,  in  an  address  delivered  in  August,  1899, 
before  the  old  settlers  of  Seward  in  this  county,  said  the  state- 
ment that  the  early  settlers  builded  wiser  than  they  knew,  was 
a  reflection  upon  their  intelligence.  He  insisted  that  the  pioneers 
knew  what  they  were  doing,  and  had  some  conception  of  the 
outcome.  Certain  it  is  that  whatever  Winnebago  county  is 
today,  is  directly  traceable  to  their  agency.  They  have  been  the 
architects  of  her  institutions.  They  laid  broad  and  deep  the 
foundations  of  her  industrial,  educational,  moral  and  religious 
interests,  and  from  time  to  time  they  have  superintended  the 
superstructure.  The  large  majority  of  this  vanguard  have 
ceased  from  their  labors,  and  their  works  do  follow  them.  As 
the  few  who  remain  behold  the  institutions  of  learning  that  have 
been  reared  in  every  town,  and  the  resources  provided  for  the 
humblest  as  well  as  for  the  strongest ;  as  they  look  over  the 
prairies  reclaimed  from  barrenness  and  barbarism  through 
their  toil  and  privations;  as  they  consider  the  various  religious 
influences  that  are  quietly  softening  and  humanizing  the  moral 
nature,  they  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  they  have 
not  lived  in  vain. 

There  is  a  tendency  in  this  age  to  remove  the  ancient  land- 
marks which  the  fathers  have  set.  The  sabbath  has  lost  much 
of  its  former  sanctity.  Parental  authority  has  become  a  lost 
art,  or  a  lost  virtue ;  and  there  has  been  a  widespread  insubor- 
dination to  constituted  authority;  and  the  mad  chase  for 
wealth  has  established  false  standards  of  worth,  and  weakened 
the  moral  fibre  of  the  people.  These  are  not  the  reflections  of  a 
pessimist,  but  the  conclusions  of  the  casual  observer.  If  this 
republic  is  to  endure,  there  must  be  a  speedy  return  to  the 
homely  virtues  and  the  high  ideals  of  the  fathers.  "For  where- 
soever the  carcass  is,  there  will  the  eagles  be  gathered  together." 
In  the  Old  Testament  the  eagle,  or  the  bird  of  prey,  represents 
a  foreign  army  summoned  by  Jehovah  to  execute  his  chastise- 
ment upon  a  corrupt  nation.  The  interpretation  is  this :  Wher- 
ever there  is  corruption,  there  will  be  inflicted  the  judgments  of 
him  who  rules  in  righteousness. 


CHAPTER  L. 

RIVER  AND  HARBOR  CONVENTION. — WINNEBAGO  COUNTY  DELEGATES. 

PRIOR  to  1846  Chicago  was  a  port  of  delivery  only,  and 
belonged  to  the  district  of  Detroit.  The  former  city  was 
made  a  port  of  entry  by  act  of  congress  in  1846.  Some  improve- 
ments had  been  made  in  the  harbor  previous  to  1839,  when  the 
work  was  discontinued  for  want  of  funds.  A  bar  had  formed, 
which  extended  across  the  entrance  of  the  channel,  so  that  ves- 
sels could  enter  only  in  fair  weather,  and  even  then  with  con- 
siderable difficulty.  It  was  only  in  response  to  the  unremitting 
efforts  of  citizens,  by  memorials  and  personal  influence,  during 
the  yearsl  839-41,  that  congress,  in  1843,  appropriated  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars  to  continue  the  improvements.  The  next 
year  thirty  thousand  dollars  additional  were  appropriated  for 
the  same  purpose.  Up  to  this  time  two  hundred  and  forty-seven 
thousand  dollars  had  been  expended ;  yet  the  harbor  was  still 
incomplete,  if  not  positively  dangerous.  John  Wentworth, 
Chicago's  able  representative  in  congress,  had  secured  fche  incor- 
poration of  another  appropriation  in  the  river  and  harbor  bill 
of  1846,  by  a  decisive  majority;  but  President  Polk  interposed 
his  veto. 

The  president  and  the  minority  in  congress  were  thus  com- 
mitted against  the  policy  of  river  and  harbor  improvement. 
This  course  provoked  general  criticism,  and  especially  in  the 
west ;  and  resulted  in  the  call  for  the  famous  river  and  harbor 
convention,  which  met  in  July,  1847.  It  was  one  of  the  most 
notable  events  of  the  period.  Preliminary  conferences  had  been 
held  in  Chicago,  Detroit,  Buffalo,  and  New  York,  and  such 
encouragement  had  been  received  that  a  meeting  was  held  in 
Chicago,  November  13,  1846,  to  complete  the  arrangements 
for  the  convention.  William  Moseley  Hall,  who  took  the  initia- 
tive in  calling  the  convention,  was  from  1845  to  1848,  agent  at 
St.  Louis  of  the  Lake  Steamship  Association,  connecting  by 
Frink,  Walker  &  Company's  stage  lines,  and  later  by  Illinois 
and  Michigan  canal  packets,  with  Illinois  river  steamers  to  St. 
Louis. 


258         HIS1VR7  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

The  convention  assembled  in  Chicago  July  5,  1847.  Dele- 
gates were  present  from  eighteen  out  of  the  twenty-nine  states 
of  the  union.  New  York  sent  over  three  hundred ;  and  still  larger 
numbers  came  from  Michigan,  Ohio,  Wisconsin,  Indiana  and 
Illinois.  The  total  attendance  was  estimated  to  be  from  six  to 
ten  thousand.  Many  of  the  leading  men  of  the  nation  were 
present.  Among  them  were  Thomas  Corwin,  William  Bebb, 
Stanley  Matthews,  Schuyler  Coif  ax,  David  Dudley  Field,  Thur- 
low  Weed,  and  Horace  Greeley.  Thirty-five  counties  in  Illinois 
sent  delegates.  Abraham  Lincoln  was  one  of  the  number.  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  the  only  Whig  representative  in  congress  from  the 
state.  He  at  this  time  made  his  first  visit  to  its  commercial 
metropolis.  Chicago  was  then  a  city  of  fifteen  thousand  popu- 
lation. 

The  delegates  assembled  in  a  spacious  pavilion.  Edward 
Bates,  of  Missouri,  presided,  with  vice-presidents  from  seven  teen 
states.  The  vice-president  from  Illinois  was  Charles  S.  Hemp- 
stead.  The  convention  continued  in  session  three  days.  In  his 
report  of  the  proceedings,  Thurlow  Weed  pronounced  it  "a 
larger  deliberative  body  than  had  ever  been  assembled  in  this 
country."  Letters  generally  favorable  to  the  avowed  objects 
of  the  convention  were  read  from  Daniel  Webster,  Thomas  H. 
Benton,  Henry  Clay,  Martin  VanBuren,  and  others. 

Both  of  the  leading  parties  sought  to  make  political  capital 
out  of  the  event.  It  was  only  with  the  utmost  adroitness  that 
partisan  dissensions  were  prevented.  This  feat  was  difficult, 
because  the  occasion  of  the  convention  was  a  political  act  by  a 
partisan  president.  Tuesday,  David  Dudley  Field,  a  Democrat, 
addressed  the  convention ;  and  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same 
day  Jason  Marsh,  of  Rockford,  introduced  the  following  reso- 
lution: ''Resolved,  That  the  delegates  to  this  convention  are 
pained  at  the  expression  of  ill-feeling  evinced  this  morning  dur- 
ing the  time  that  David  Dudley  Field,  of  New  York,  occupied 
(by  invitation)  the  stand  ;  and  in  future  pledge  themselves  to 
regard  the  rights  of  all  members  of  the  convention,  who  confine 
themselves  to  the  rules  prescribed  and  passed  by  this  conven- 
tion." 

Another  resolution,  introduced  by  S.  Treat,  of  Missouri, 
provided /'that  no  proposition  or  remarks,  not  directly  con- 
nected with  recognized  river  and  harbor  improvements  of  a 
national'character,  shall  be  entertained  by  this  convention." 

The  resolutions  adopted  enthusiastically  asserted  that  it 


WINNEBAGO  COUNTY  DELEGATES.  359 

was  the  right  and  duty  of  the  general  government  to  facilitate 
commerce  by  improving  harbors,  and  clearing  out  navigable  riv- 
ers; and  that  theretofore  appropriations  made  for  the  improve- 
ment of  inter-oceanic  rivers  and  lakes  had  not  been  in  fair 
proportion  to  those  made  for  the  benefit  of  the  Atlantic  coast. 
A  resolution  in  favor  of  a  railroad  from  the  states  to  the  Pacific, 
introduced  by  William  Moseley  Hall,  was  also  adopted.  The 
closing  speech  was  delivered  by  the  president,  Edward  Bates, 
which  tradition  has  pronounced  "a  masterpiece  of  American 
oratory  theretofore  unexcelled."  No  report  of  this  great  ora- 
tion has  been  preserved. 

Winnebago  county  was  represented  at  this  convention  by 
thirty  delegates,  as  follows :  Daniel  S.  Haight,  Anson  S.  Miller, 
S.  G.  Armor,  Thomas  D.  Robertson,  William  Hulin,  Spencer 
Post,  Charles  H.  Spafford,  0.  Jewett,  J.  A.  Wilson,  Jason 
Marsh,  Newton  Crawford,  Cyrus  F.  Miller,  Goodyear  A.  Sanford, 
W.  A.  Dickerman,  R.  R.  Comstock,  Jesse  Blinn,  J.  B.  Peterson, 
Austin  Colton,  Shepherd  Leach,  C.  A.  Huntington,  J.M.Wight, 
J.  B.  Johnson,  Samuel  Cunningham,  Horace  Miller,  E.M.  Miller, 
W.  P.  Dennis,  H.  Barross,D.  Corey, M.  H.Regan,  Dr.  Carpenter. 

The  most  complete  report  of  this  historic  convention  is 
published  in  Fergus'  Historical  Series,  Number  Eighteen,  which 
devotes  about  two  hundred  pages  to  the  subject.  Several  num- 
bers of  this  work,  which  have  now  become  rare  and  valuable, 
may  be  found  in  the  Rockford  public  library. 


CHAPTER  LI. 

THE  "REFORM"  OF  THE  JUDICIARY.— CONSTITUTIONAL  CONVENTION. 

UNDER  the  first  constitution  of  Illinois,  the  justices  of  the 
supreme  court  and  the  judges  of  the  inferior  courts  were 
elected  by  the  joint  ballot  of  the  legislature.  This  system  made 
the  courts  in  a  sense  the  creatures  of  the  legislature,  rather  than 
a  co-ordinate  branch  of  the  government.  The  legislature  is 
always  governed  more  or  less  by  partisan  expediency ;  and  the 
reflex  action  upon  the  judiciary  compromised  its  independence. 
Two  celebrated  instances  may  be  briefly  noted. 

When  Thomas  Carlin  became  governor,  as  a  Democrat,  in 
1838,  he  claimed  the  power  of  appointing  a  new  secretary  of 
state,  without  a  vacancy  existing  in  that  office.  Alexander  P. 
Field,  a  Whig,  had  served  in  that  capacity  during  the  two  pre- 
ceding administrations.  Governor  Carlin  based  his  right  of 
appointment  upon  the  doctrine  that  a  secretary  of  state  under 
the  first  constitution  was  a  confidential  adviser  of  thegovernor, 
and  ought  therefore  to  be  of  the  same  political  faith.  The  Gov- 
ernor accordingly  nominated  John  A.  McClernand.  The  senate, 
although  Democratic,  passed  a  resolution  to  the  effect  that  the 
governor  did  not  possess  the  power  to  nominate  a  secretary, 
except  in  case  of  a  vacancy.  After  adjournment  the  Governor 
again  appointed  Mr.  McClernand,  secretary  of  state,  who  there- 
upon demanded  possession  of  the  office  from  Secretary  Field. 
The  latter  refused.  Mr.  McClernand  then  filed  an  information 
in  the  nature  of  a  quo  warranto,  before  Judge  Breese,  in  the 
circuit  court  of  Fayette  county,  who  decided  in  favor  of  the 
complainant.  Secretary  Field  took  an  appeal  to  the  supreme 
court,  where  the  cause  was  reversed.  There  were  then  four  jus- 
tices of  the  supreme  court.  Justice  Smith  was  a  Democrat,  and 
Chief-Justice  Wilson  and  Justices  Lockwood  and  Brown  were 
Whigs.  Three  opinions  were  written.  Justices  Wilson  and 
Lockwood  concurred;  Justice  Smith  dissented;  and  Justice 
Brown  declined  to  sit  in  the  cause,  because  he  was  a  relative  of 
Mr.  McClernand.  Chief- Justice  Wilson  rendered  the  decision  of 
the  court,  which  held  that  the  Governor  could  not  remove  the 


GALKNA  ALIEN  CASE.  261 


secretary  of  state  at  pleasure ;  that  when  an  appointment  had 
been  made,  the  appointing  power  was  suspended  until  a  vacancy 
occurred.  The  decision  was  the  cause  of  a  partisan  outcry 
against  the  so-called  "Whig  court,"  because  it  prevented  a 
Democrat  from  holding  one  of  the  principal  offices  of  the  gov- 
ernment. This  opinion  was  contrary  to  the  principle  generally 
accepted  at  this  day,  that  the  appointing  power,  when  exercised 
by  a  single  person,  or  by  a  body  of  men  who  can  conveniently 
act,  necessarily  possesses  the  power  of  removal  from  office. 

The  second  and  far  more  important  instance  was  the  cele- 
brated Galena  alien  case.  The  alien  vote  of  the  state  was  about 
ten  thousand;  and  it  was  estimated  that  nine-tenths  of  this 
vote  was  Democratic;  and  if  they  were  excluded  from  the  polls  in 
1840,  it  would  determine  the  presidential  election  in  favor  of  the 
Whigs.  The  constitution  of  1818  provided  that  "in  all  elections, 
all  white  male  inhabitants  above  the  age  of  twenty-one  years, 
having  resided  in  the  state  six  months  next  preceding  the  elec- 
tion, shall  enjoy  the  right  of  an  elector."  The  Whigs  bad  long 
contended  that  this  provision  did  not  authorize  any  but  citizens 
to  vote ;  while  the  practice,  ever  since  the  constitution  was 
adopted,  had  uniformly  been  to  allow  all  residents,  whether 
citizens  or  aliens,  to  vote,  who  had  resided  in  the  state  six 
months.  In  order  to  test  the  right  of  aliens  to  vote,  without 
naturalization,  an  agreed  case  was  instituted  at  Galena,  where 
there  was  a  large  alien  vote  in  the  mining  district,  between  two 
Whigs,  to  recover  the  penalty  of  one  hundred  dollars,  under  the 
election  law  of  1829,  because  the  defendant,  who  had  acted  as 
judge  at  the  August  election  of  1838,  had  received  the  vote  of 
an  alien.  Judge  Dan.  Stone,  before  whom  the  case  was  tried, 
decided  that  an  alien  was  not  entitled  to  the  elective  franchise, 
and  therefore  imposed  the  fine  prescribed  by  the  statute.  The 
decision  had  great  political  significance,  because  it  was  believed 
by  both  parties  that  the  alien  vote  of  the  state  held  the  balance 
of  power. 

An  appeal  was  taken  to  the  supreme  court,  where  it  was 
argued  at  the  December  term,  1839,  and  then  continued  to 
the  June  term,  1840,  when  the  exciting  presidential  campaign 
was  in  progress.  If  the  case  were  decided  adversely  to  the 
aliens,  the  state  might  be  lost  to  the  Democracy,  and  there  was 
a  general  apprehension  that  such  would  be  the  decision.  Judge 
Smith,  the  only  Democratic  justice  then  on  the  supreme  bench, 
discovered  a  clerical  error  in  the  record.  A  motion  to  dismiss 


262         HISTOnr  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

was  thereupon  founded,  because  it  appeared  by  the  record  that 
the  case  argued  was  alleged  to  have  occurred  at  a  time  when 
no  general  election  could  be  held,  namely,  August,  6, 1839.  The 
year  1838  was  meant.  For  the  purpose  of  correcting  the  rec- 
ord, a  continuance  was  granted  to  the  December  term,  which 
was  subsequent  to  the  presidential  election,  which  was  held  in 
November.  The  achievement  of  discovering  the  flaw  in  the 
record  was  considered  a  remarkable  stroke  of  legal  acumen. 
When  the  case  was  called  for  final  decision,  the  constitutional 
question  of  the  right  of  an  alien  to  vote  was  evaded,  and  it  was 
decided  that  inasmuch  as  the  alien,  whose  vote  was  in  question, 
by  admission  of  both  parties,  possessed  all  the  qualifications 
required  by  the  law  of  1829,  the  court  erred  in  imposing 
the  penalty.  In  the  meantime,  the  November  election  in  1840 
was  held.  Both  houses  of  the  legislature  were  largely  Demo- 
cratic, and  Stephen  A.  Douglas  was  made  secretary  of  state. 

During  the  progress  of  these  proceedings,  a  bill  had  been 
introduced  for  the  reorganization  of  the  judiciary.  Two  great 
political  questions  had  been  brought  before  the  supreme  court : 
one  had  already  been  decided  against  the  wishes  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  and  it  was  thought  the  other,  still  pending,  would 
be  decided  in  the  same  way.  The  Democrats  proceeded  to  rad- 
ical measures  of  redress.  Mr.  Douglas,  who  had  been  one  of  the 
counsel  for  the  aliens,  boldly  charged  in  a  speech  before  the 
lobby,  that  the  main  question  had  been  purposely  evaded  by 
the  court,  in  order  to  conciliate  the  Democrats,  and  defeat  the 
bill.  By  an  act  of  February  10,  1841,  the  general  assembly 
legislated  out  of  office  the  nine  circuit  judges,  and  increased 
the  number  of  supreme  court  justices  from  four  to  nine.  In 
addition  to  their  duties  as  a  supreme  court,  and  their  function 
as  a  council  of  revision,  the  law  imposed  upon  them  all  the 
circuit  court  business  of  the  state.  Since  1835  the  supreme 
justices  had  been  relieved  of  circuit  duty,  and  acted  solely  as  a 
court  of  appeals,  errors  and  revision.  The  change  was  an 
extreme  partisan  measure,  and  characterized  by  Governor  Ford 
as  "confessedly  violent,  and  somewhat  revolutionary."  Before 
its  approval  the  bill  was  presented  to  the  council  of  revision, 
which  returned  it  with  its  objections.  The  bill,  however,  was 
repassed,  notwithstanding  the  objections  of  the  council,  in  the 
senate  by  a  large  majority,  and  in  the  house  by  a  majority  of 
one.  A  protest  was  signed  by  a  minority,  among  whom  was 
Abraham  Lincoln.  The  five  additional  supreme  court  justices 


ATTEMPT  TO  REMOVE  JUDGE  BROWN.  263 

elected  by  the  legislature  under  this  law  were  Sidney  Breeze, 
Walder  B.  Scates,  Samuel  H.  Treat,  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  and 
Thomas  Ford,  who  had  been  judge  of  the  circuit  which  included 
Rockford.  All  these  justices  were  Democrats.  Thereafter  all 
Democratic  apprehensions  were  allayed  concerning  the  party 
vote,  nor  did  the  majority  of  that  court  question  the  right  of 
the  executive  to  appoint  his  own  secretary  of  state. 

At  the  session  of  1842-43  an  effort  was  made  to  remove 
Judge  Thomas  C.  Brown,  on  the  ground  of  incompetency.  He 
had  been  a  member  of  the  supreme  court  since  the  adoption  of 
the  constitution  in  1818.  Judge  Brown  was  a  genial  gentleman, 
but  he  possessed  no  legal  attainments.  Upon  the  reorganization 
of  the  court,  Judge  Brown,  whose  home  was  at  Shawneetown, 
was  assigned  to  the  remote  Galena  circuit,  in  the  hope  that  he 
would  resign.  This  plan  failed;  and  four  lawyers,  Charles  S. 
Hempstead,  Thomas  Drummond,  Thompson  Campbell  and  A. 
L.  Holmes,  filed  specifications  that  he  had  not  natural  strength 
of  intellect,  and  lacked  the  legal  training  requisite  to  a  proper 
discharge  of  the  duties  of  his  high  office.  The  senate  refused  to 
participate  in  the  examination  of  these  charges,  and  the  house 
finally  asked  to  be  discharged  from  further  consideration  of  the 
subject. 

In  1847  another  attempt  was  made  to  remove  Judge 
Brown.  A  petition  was  numerously  signed  by  the  bar  and 
citizens  of  Rockford.  This  petition,  with  all  the  signatures 
attached,  has  been  preserved.  Judge  Brown,  however,  retained 
his  position,  and  remained  upon  the  bench  until  the  reorgani- 
zation of  the  supreme  court  under  the  constitution  of  1848. 

These  two  decisions  of  the  supreme  court  were  notable 
events  in  the  evolution  of  an  elective  judiciary  in  Illinois.  Under 
the  present  system,  the  entire  judiciary  of  the  state  is  elected  by 
the  people.  More  than  a  century  ago  Alexander  Hamilton  said 
in  the  Federalist:  "The  standard  of  good  behavior  for  the 
continuance  in  office  of  the  judicial  magistracy,  is  certainly  one 
of  the  most  valuable  of  the  modern  improvements  in  the  prac- 
tice of  government.  In  a  monarchy,  it  is  an  excellent  barrier 
to  the  despotism  of  the  prince;  in  a  republic,  it  is  a  no  less  excel- 
lent barrier  to  the  encroachments  and  oppressions  of  the  repre- 
sentative body.  And  it  is  the  best  expedient  which  can  be  devised 
in  any  government,  to  secure  a  steady,  upright  and  impartial 
administration  of  the  laws."  Under  the  elective  system,  how- 
ever, a  precedent  has  been  established  of  continuing  a  judge  in 


264          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

office  during  "good  behavior."  Thus  an  elective  judiciary  is 
essentially  consistent  with  the  philosophy  of  Hamilton.  More- 
over, the  judiciary,  which  in  Hamilton's  time  was  considered 
the  weakest  department  of  the  government,  has  become  recog- 
nized as  a  co-ordinate  branch,  deriving  its  powers,  as  do  the 
legislative  and  the  executive,  from  a  popular  constitution ;  and 
has  attained  its  present  position  of  honor  and  public  confidence. 

In  pursuance  of  an  act  of  the  general  assembly,  approved 
February  20, 1847,  a  constitutional  convention  assembled  at 
Springfield,  June  7th  of  the  same  year.  The  delegates  from 
Winnebago  county  were  Selden  M.  Church  and  Robert  J.  Cross. 
The  delegates  from  the  neighboring  county  of  Boone  were  Dr. 
Daniel  H.  Whitney  and  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut,  both  of  whom  were 
well  known  in  Rockford  at  an  early  date.  The  Journal  of  Pro- 
ceedings indicate  that  all  of  these  gentlemen  took  part  in  the 
discussions.  Upon  the  organization  of  the  convention,  Mr. 
Church  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  standing  committee  on 
the  organization  of  departments  and  offices  connected  with 
the  executive  department ;  Mr.  Cross,  a  member  of  the  commit- 
tee on  the  bill  of  rights;  Mr.  Hurlbut,  on  the  judiciary  depart- 
ment; and  Dr.  Whitney,  on  incorporations. 

Early  in  the  session  Mr.  Church  introduced  the  following 
resolution :  "Resolved,  That  the  committee  on  the  bill  of  rights 
be  requested  to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of  so  amending  the 
sixth  article  of  the  present  constitution  that  it  shall  provide 
that  'there  shall  be  neither  slavery  nor  involuntary  servitude 
in  this  state,  otherwise  than  for  the  punishment  of  crimes 
whereof  the  parties  shall  have  been  duly  convicted.  Nor  shall 
any  person  be  deprived  of  liberty  on  account  of  color.' '  June 
26th  Mr.  Cross  introduced  the  following  resolution:  "Resolved, 
That  the  committee  on  elections  and  the  right  of  suffrage  be 
instructed  to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of  changing  the  time 
of  holding  elections  from  the  first  Monday  in  August  to  the 
Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November,  and  the 
manner  of  voting  from  vive  voce  to  ballot."  Mr,  Cross  also 
led  in  an  effort  to  secure  in  t?he  new  constitution  a  provision  for 
a  state  superintendent  of  schools,  with  a  liberal  salary. 

The  convention  continued  in  session  until  August  31st, 
when  the  new  constitution  was  adopted.  It  was  ratified  by  the 
people  March  6,  1848,  and  in  force  from  April  1st  next  follow- 
ing. The  adoption  of  this  new  constitution  was  a  notable  event 


THE  NEW  CONSTITUTION.  265 

in  the  transition  of  Illinois  from  a  primitive,  pioneer  state  to  a 
great  commonwealth.  Many  changes  were  made.  A  section, 
introduced  by  Mr.  Hurlbut,  of  Boone,  provided  for  township 
organization  in  the  counties,  whenever  desired.  The  time  of 
holding  the  general  elections  was  changed  from  August  to 
November;  the  method  of  voting  changed  from  vive  voceto 
ballot ;  the  judiciary  was  made  elective ;  and  many  improve- 
ments were  made  along  other  lines.  This  constitution  remained 
in  force  until  1870.  A  new  constitution  was  adopted  in  conven- 
tion in  1862,  but  it  was  rejected  by  the  people.  The  delegate 
from  Winnebago  county  to  this  convention  was  Porter  Sheldon, 
a  brother  of  C.  W.  Sheldon,  of  Rockford. 


CHAPTER  LII. 

THE  GALENA  AND  CHICAGO  UNION  :    THE  FIRST  RAILROAD. 

JANUARY  16, 1836,  a  charter  was  granted  to  the  Galena  & 
Chicago  Union  Railroad  Company,  to  construct  a  railroad 
with  a  single  or  double  track,  from  Galena  to  Chicago.  The 
capital  stock  was  to  be  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  with  the 
privilege  of  increase  to  a  sum  not  exceeding  one  million  dollars. 
William  Bennett,  Thomas  Drummond,  J.  C.  Goodhue,  Peter 
Semple,  J.  M.  Turner,  E.  D.  Taylor,  and  J.  B.  Thomas,  Jr., 
were  made  commissioners  for  receiving  subscriptions  to  the 
capital  stock.  At  that  time  Galena  was  the  leading  village  of 
this  western  country.  This  fact  explains  the  precedence  given 
to  that  name  in  the  title  of  the  road.  The  company  was  given 
three  years  in  which  to  commence  operations.  Either  animal 
or  steam-power  might  be  used.  The  charter  was  obtained 
mainly  through  the  influence  of  EbenezerPeck  andT.  W.  Smith. 
The  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  was  the  first  railroad  chartered 
to  be  built  from  Chicago,  upon  which  work  was  immediately 
begun.  The  road  became  an  important  factor  in  the  great 
transportation  system  of  Chicago,  as  well  as  the  towns  along 
the  line. 

Thirteen  months  after  the  charter  was  granted,  the  survey 
of  the  proposed  route  was  begun  by  an  engineer,  James  Sey- 
mour, and  was  extended  from  the  foot  of  North  Dearborn  street 
as  far  as  the  DesPlaines  river.  Work  was  suspended  in  June, 
1838,  but  resumed  the  following  year,  and  piles  were  driven 
along  the  line  of  Madison  street,  and  stringers  placed  upon 
them.  It  soon  became  evident,  however,  that  Chicago's  finan- 
cial strength  was  not  equal  to  her  ambition,  and  the  enterprise 
was  temporarily  abandoned.  The  suspension  of  operations  was 
a  source  of  profound  regret  to  the  citizens  of  the  Rock  River 
valley,  who  had  made  several  attempts  to  obtain  better  connec- 
tion with  Chicago,  first  by  means  of  the  contemplated  road, 
and  later  by  canal.  These  schemes  did  not  prove  feasible,  and 
other  plans  were  substituted. 


FIRST  RAILROAD  MEETING.  267 

The  agitation  was  continued  in  Winnebago  county  for  sev- 
eral years.  The  first  railroad  meeting  in  Rockford  was  held 
November  28,  1845.  Anson  S.  Miller  was  chosen  chairman, 
and  Selden  M.  Church,  secretary.  The  meeting  was  addressed 
by  Hon.  Martin  P.  Sweet.  It  was  resolved  that  those  counties 
interested  in  the  construction  of  a  railroad  from  Galena  to  Chi- 
cago be  recommended  to  send  delegates  to  a  convention  to  be 
held  in  Rockford,  January  7,  1846,  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
measures  for  the  construction  of  the  road  at  the  earliest  possible 
time.  Jason  Marsh,  T.  D.  Robertson,  and  William  Hulin  were 
appointed  a  corresponding  committee  to  carry  out  the  object 
of  the  meeting.  The  following  delegates  were  appointed  to 
attend  the  convention  from  Winnebago  county :  Horace  Miller, 

A.  C.  Gleason,  Robert  Barrett,  Harvey  Gregory,  Robert  J. 
Cross,  Asa  Farnsworth,  Stephen  Mack,  Thomas  B.  Talcott, 
Leman  Pettibone,  Guy  Hulett,  Snyder  J.Fletcher,  Alonzo  Hall, 
Daniel  Baker,  E.  S.  Cable,  Harvey  Woodruff,  Joseph  Manches- 
ter, George  Haskell,  Willard  Wheeler,  E.  H.  Potter,  Newton 
Crawford,  J.  C.  Goodhue,  S.  M.  Church,  Anson  Miller,  Jason 
Marsh,  and  T.  D.  Robertson. 

December  5, 1845,  a  meeting  was  held  in  Chicago  to  select 
delegates  to  the  Rockford  convention.  Mayor  A.  Garrett  pre- 
sided, and  Isaac  N.  Arnold  was  secretary.  The  meeting  was 
addressed  by  J.  Y.  Scammon,  of  Chicago,  and  William  Baldwin, 
of  Boston.  The  following  delegates  were  chosed  to  attend  the 
convention  at  Rockford :  Isaac  N.  Arnold,  J.  Y.  Scammon,  J. 

B.  F.  Russell,  Mark  Skinner,  Thomas  Dyer,  E.  W.  Tracy,  John 
Daulin,  Stephen  F.  Gale,  William  H.  Brown,  Walter  L.  New- 
berry,  William  E.  Jones,  Bryan  W.  Raymond,  F.  C.  Sherman, 
William  Jones,  Mayor  A.  Garrett.  Meetings  were  held  at  Belvi- 
dere  December  20th,  and  at  Freeport  December  25th,  for  the 
selection  of  delegates  to  the  convention. 

The  convention  was  held  at  Rockford  January  7,  1846. 
Delegates  were  present  from  the  counties  proposed  to  be  trav- 
ersed by  the  line.  Cook  county  sent  sixteen  delegates;  De 
Kalb,  one ;  McHenry,  fifteen ;  Rock,  three ;  Ogle,  eighty ;  Boone, 
forty-two;  Lee,  one;  Kane,  fifteen;  Stephenson,  forty;  Winne- 
bago, one  hundred ;  JoDaviess,  six;  a  total  of  three  hundred 
and  nineteen  delegates.  It  will  be  observed  that  Winnebago, 
and  probably  other  counties,  sent  a  larger  delegation  than  had 
been  authorized  by  the  preliminary  meeting.  The  convention 
was  called  to  order  at  twelve  o'clock,  by  T.  D.  Robertson,  who 


268         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

nominated  I.  N.  Arnold  for  temporary  chairman.  Mr.  Robert- 
son was  chosen  secretary,  pro  tern.  The  committee  appointed  to 
nominate  permanent  officers  presented  the  following  report: 
Thomas  Drummond,  of  Jo  Daviess,  president;  William  H. 
Brown,  of  Cook ;  Joel  Walker,  of  Boone ;  Spooner  Ruggles,  of 
Ogle;  Elijah  Wilcox,  of  Kane,  vice-presidents;  T.D.Robertson, 
of  Winnebago;  J.  B.  Russell,  of  Cook;  S.  P.  Hyde,  of  McHenry, 
secretaries. 

The  president,  on  taking  the  chair,  addressed  the  meeting 
on  the  great  importance  of  the  outcome  to  northern  Illinois 
and  the  northwest,  and  expressed  the  hope  that  all  their  tran- 
sactions might  be  characterized  by  an  intelligent  view  of  the 
situation.  J.  Y.  Scammon,  of  Cook,  offered  a  resolution  that 
a  committee  of  one  from  each  county  be  appointed  to  report 
resolutions  which  would  express  the  views  of  the  convention. 
The  chair  appointed  the  following  committee :  J.  Y.  Scammon, 
of  Cook;  George  T.  Kasson,  of  McHenry;  Charles  S.  Hemp- 
stead,  of  Jo  Daviess;  M.  G.  Dana,  of  Ogle;  James  S.  Waterman, 
of  DeKalb;  William  H.  Gilman,  of  Boone.  John  A.  Clark,  of 
Stephenson;  A.  B.  Wells,  of  Kane;  S.  M. Church, of  Winnebago; 
L.  G.  Fisher,  of  Wisconsin  Territory.  Walter  L.  Newberry,  of 
Chicago,  offered  the  following:  "Resolved,  If  a  satisfactory 
arrangement  can  be  made  with  the  present  holders  of  the 
stock  of  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  Railroad  Company,  that 
the  members  of  this  convention  will  use  all  honorable  measures 
to  obtain  subscriptions  to  the  stock  of  said  company." 

An  animated  debate  followed ;  and  after  a  full  discussion  of 
the  powers  of  the  charter  and  possible  benefits,  the  resolution 
was  adopted  by  an  overwhelming  vote. 

The  following  resolutions,  presented  by  J.  YoungScammon, 
in  behalf  of  the  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose,  reported 
the  following  resolutions,  which  were  adopted  without  a  dis- 
senting vote: 

"Resolved,  That  the  wants  of  the  farmers  and  businessmen 
of  northern  Illinois  require  the  immediate  construction  of  a 
railroad  from  Chicago  to  Galena.  That  the  value  of  farms 
upon  the  route  would  be  doubled  by  the  construction  of  the 
road,  and  the  convenience  of  the  inhabitants  immeasurably 
profited  thereby. 

"Resolved,  That  in  order  to  accomplish  the  object  of  this 
convention,  it  is  indispensably  necessary  that  the  inhabitants 
and  owners  of  property  between  Galena  and  Chicago  should 


SUBSCRIPTION  BOOKS  OPENED.  269 

come  forward  and  subscribe  to  the  stock  of  the  proposed  rail- 
road, to  the  extent  of  their  ability;  and  that  if  each  farmer 
upon  the  route  shall  take  at  least  one  share  of  the  stock  (one 
hundred  dollars),  the  completion  of  the  road  would  be  placed 
beyond  contingency." 

This  action  enkindled  enthusiasm  along  the  entire  line,  bub 
before  the  necessary  subscriptions  had  been  secured,  Messrs. 
Townsend  and  Mather,  who  owned  the  original  charter,  offered 
the  same,  together  with  the  land  and  such  improvements  as 
had  already  been  made,  to  the  citizens  of  Chicago,  for  the  sum 
of  twenty  thousand  dollars.  The  terms  contemplated  the  pay- 
ment of  the  entire  sum  in  stock  of  the  new  company ;  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  immediately  after  the  election  and  organization  of 
the  board  of  directors,  and  the  remaining  ten  thousand  dollars 
on  the  completion  of  the  road  to  Rock  river,  or  as  soon  as 
dividends  of  six  per  cent,  had  been  earned.  This  proposition 
was  accepted.  The  purchasers  subscribed  from  their  own 
means  for  the  expense  of  the  survey  on  December  6,  1846,  and 
the  following  year  the  work  was  begun,  under  the  supervision 
of  Richard  P.  Morgan. 

It  was  decided  to  open  subscription  books  at  Chicago  and 
at  Galena,  as  well  as  the  several  settlements  through  which  the 
road  was  to  pass.  The  task  of  canvassing  among  the  farmers 
between  the  proposed  termini  was  undertaken  by  William  B. 
Ogden.  J.  Young  Scammon  solicited  funds  in  Chicago,  but 
the  subscriptions  came  in  slowly.  Only  twenty  thousand  dol- 
lars were  obtained  at  the  outset  from  all  the  real  estate  men 
and  others  who  might  have  been  supposed  to  have  been  espec- 
ially interested.  Certain  business  men  in  Chicago  opposed  the 
construction  of  the  road  on  the  ground  that  it  might  divert 
business  from  Chicago  to  other  points  along  the  line.  Mr.  Ogden 
met  with  better  success  in  the  rural  districts.  Even  the  women 
were  willing  to  undergo  many  privations  of  a  personal  charac- 
ter, that  they  might  assist  in  the  construction  of  an  iron  high- 
way, which  they  believed  would  prove  of  great  benefit  to  the 
succeeding  generations.  The  citizens  of  Rockford  and  farmers 
in  the  adjoining  districts  made  liberal  subscriptions  to  stock. 
John  A.  Holland  and  T.  D.  Robertson  were  the  most  active 
local  promoters  of  the  enterprise. 

The  original  plan  was  to  secure  as  large  a  local  subscription 
to  the  capital  stock  as  possible,  and  then  apply  to  eastern  cap- 
italists for  such  advances,  either  in  the  form  of  subscriptions  to 


270          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

capital  stock  or  loans,  as  might  be  found  necessary.  The  inter- 
est in  the  enterprise,  however,  was  such  that  by  April  1,  1848, 
one  hundred  and  twenty-six  subscribers  had  taken  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty-one  thousand  and  eight  hundred  dollars' worth  of 
stock.  It  was  therefore  concluded  that  the  road  should  be  con- 
structed and  owned  by  residents  of  the  territory  through  which 
it  was  to  pass.  It  was  determined,  however,  to  interview 
friends  of  the  project  in  the  east,  to  obtain  such  suggestions  as 
their  experience  in  railroad  matters  might  enable  them  to  give. 
Eastern  capitalists  advised  the  construction  of  the  road  as  far 
as  the  subscription  might  be  available ;  and  later,  if  money 
were  needed,  it  might  be  obtained  in  the  east.  There  was 
another  factor  in  the  problem.  Illinois  was  burdened  with  an 
enormous  debt,  and  repudiation  had  been  imminent.  Eastern 
capitalists  were  therefore  not  prompt  in  response  to  calls  for 
loans  to  be  expended  in  internal  improvements. 

In  September,  1847,  a  corps  of  engineers  was  engaged  for 
surveys,  and  work  was  begun.  Unexpected  obstacles  were 
encountered,  and  it  was  impossible  for  the  directors  to  make 
the  first  contract  for  construction  until  near  the  close  of  the 
year.  Contracts  for  the  grading  and  bridging  of  twenty-five 
additional  miles  were  made  in  March,  1848.  Meanwhile,  in 
February,  1847,  an  amended  charter  had  been  secured,  under 
the  terms  of  which  a  new  board  of  directors  was  elected  April 
5th  of  the  following  year.  Changes  were  subsequently  made  as 
follows:  Thomas  D.  Robertson,  of  Rockford,  was  elected 
director,  vice  Allen  Robbins,  resigned,  April  5, 1849;  Dexter  A. 
Knowlton,  of  Freeport,  vice  J.  Y.  Scammon,  resigned,  in  1850. 

The  canvass  for  subscriptions  made  along  the  line  by  Mr. 
Ogden  was  subsequently  supplemented  by  Charles  Walker,  Isaac 
N.  Arnold,  John  Locke  Scripps  and  John  B.  Turner.  In 
1848  B.  W.  Raymond  and  John  B.  Turner  visited  the  seaboard 
to  enlist  eastern  support  in  the  project.  The  journey  was  not 
as  successful  as  they  had  hoped ;  yet  they  reported  to  Chicago 
subscriptions  for  fifteen  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  stock  and 
the  promise  of  a  loan  of  seven  thousand  dollars  additional. 
The  financial  success  of  the  enterprise  seemed  to  be  so  far 
assured  by  this  time  that  the  management  purchased  a  limited 
amount  of  rolling-stock. 

Mr.  Ogden,  the  president  of  the  company,  and  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  council  of  Chicago,  endeavored  in  the  latter 
capacity  to  secure  the  passage  of  an  ordinance  giving  the  com- 


THE  ROAD  REACHES  ROCKPORD.  271 

pany  the  right  of  way  into  the  city,  with  other  incidental  privi- 
leges. The  ordinance  failed  to  pass,  but  the  road  was  granted 
the  privilege  of  constructing  a  temporary  track,  in  order  to 
facilitate  the  hauling  of  necessary  material  through  the  city. 
The  first  civil  engineer  of  the  reorganized  company  was  John 
Van  Nortwick,  and  in  June,  1848,  his  assistant,  George  W. 
Waite,  drove  the  first  grading  peg,  at  the  corner  of  Kinsie  and 
Halsted  streets. 

In  September,  1848,  the  directors  purchased  two  engines 
from  eastern  companies.  The  first,  the  Pioneer,  arrived  in  Chi- 
cago October  10th  following.  They  were  clumsy  in  appearance 
and  workmanship;  but  they  rendered  efficient  service.  The 
Pioneer  was  unloaded  from  the  brig  Buffalo,  on  the  Sunday 
following  its  arrival  in  Chicago.  It  proved  to  be  a  memorable 
purchase.  At  first  it  ran  simply  as  a  motor  for  hauling  material 
for  construction ;  but  December  15,  1848,  it  started  from  Chi- 
cago at  the  head  of  the  first  train  which  left  the  city  over  the 
four  miles  of  track.  In  the  rear  of  the  Pioneer  were  six  freight 
cars,  extemporized  into  passenger  coaches.  The  engineer  in 
charge  was  John  Ebbert.  As  the  road  developed,  Mr.  Ebbert 
was  promoted  until  he  became  master  mechanic  of  the  road. 
His  death  occurred  in  Chicago  August  21, 1899,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-five  years.  The  first  engineer,  however,  who  ran  the 
Pioneer  as  far  west  as  Rockford  was  I.  D.  Johnson.  In  1854 
Mr.  Johnson  was  married  to  Miss  Delia,  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
Gregory.  To  them  were  born  six  children,  three  of  whom  sur- 
vived the  father.  Mr.  Johnson  died  at  his  home  in  Chicago, 
February  24,  1899,  and  was  buried  in  Rockford.  He  was  a  man 
of  straightforward  character,  and  as  an  engineer  he  was  careful 
and  courageous.  The  Pioneer  was  on  exhibition  at  the  world's 
Columbian  exposition  in  1893,  under  the  charge  of  its  former 
master,  Engineer  Ebbert,  and  attracted  great  attention  as  an 
example  of  primitive  ideas  in  locomotive  construction.  It  is 
now  an  exhibit  at  the  Field  Columbian  Museum. 

The  line  was  extended  to  Elgin,  forty  miles  west,  in  January, 
1850.  Nearly  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  thousand  dollars  had 
been  expended  for  construction  up  to  that  time.  The  rolling- 
stock  was  then  an  object  of  admiration ;  but  it  is  now  only  of 
interest  as  a  relic  of  the  day  of  small  things.  The  track  was 
laid  as  far  west  as  Belvidere  in  the  spring  of  1852.  On  Monday, 
August  2, 1852,  a  train  on  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  railroad 
arrived  in  East  Rockford.  Its  advent  was  signalized  by  the 


272  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAOO  COUNTY. 

ringing  of  bells  and  the  firing  of  cannon.  The  iron  horse  was 
greeted  by  the  populace  as  the  successor  of  the  horse  and  wagon 
and  oxen  and  driver  and  whip.  From  that  day  Rockford  began 
to  make  rapid  strides  in  wealth,  population,  and  commercial 
importance;  and  the  Forum  took  the  flattering  unction  to  its 
soul  that  Chicago  and  Galena  might  be  soon  "looking  this 
way  with  a  jealous  eye  lest  they  become  eclipsed  in  greatness 
by  the  city  of  the  Rock  river  valley." 

By  the  year  1857  quite  an  extension  of  the  line  had  been 
completed.  A  double  track  had  been  extended  thirty  miles 
west,  as  far  as  Turner  Junction,  and  large  additions  to  the  roll- 
ing stock  had  been  acquired.  The  expense  thus  incurred 
increased  the  total  outlay  up  to  that  time  to  nine  million  dol- 
lars. Before  the  close  of  1858  the  company  had  extended  its 
main  line  to  Freeport,  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  from  Chi- 
cago. Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  there  was  no  little  enthu- 
siasm in  Galena  over  the  extension  of  the  line  to  that  point, 
Fate  decreed  that  Galena  should  be  connected  with  Chicago  by 
another  line.  The  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  sold  its  right  of 
way  to  the  Illinois  Central.  It  has  been  said  that  had  the  great 
Central  system  made  a  connection  with  Rockford  at  that  early 
date,  the  population  of  the  city  would  have  been  materially 
increased.  At  the  close  of  1858  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union 
company  was  free  from  a  floating  debt ;  but  it  had  a  funded 
indebtedness  of  three  million  seven  hundred  and  eighty -three 
thousand  and  fifteen  dollars. 

The  system  owned  and  operated  by  the  Chicago  &  North- 
western Railway  Company,  as  it  exists  at  the  present  time,  is  a 
consolidation  of  not  less  than  forty-five  distinct  roads.  June  2, 
1864,  was  effected  a  consolidation  of  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union 
and  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  companies,  under  the  name  of 
the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railway  Company.  The  old  Galena 
&  Chicago  Union  had  been  legitimately  built,  and  was  never 
bonded ;  and  when  it  was  purchased  by  the  Chicago  &  North- 
western, the  stock  held  by  the  old  subscribers  in  the  Galena 
road  was  exchanged  for  stock  in  the  new  company.  The  con- 
solidation was  effected  by  the  late  Samuel  J.  Tilden,  one  of  the 
greatest  railroad  lawyers  of  his  time.  The  Galena  had  been  a 
profitable  road ;  and  its  consolidation  was  one  of  the  first  in 
northern  Illinois. 


CHAPTER   LIII. 

REPRESENTATIVE  ROCKFORD  CITIZENS  I    1842-50. 

MARSHALL  H.  REGAN  was  born  in  Rochester,  New  York, 
and  his  early  life  was  spent  in  his  native  state  and  in  Can- 
ada. Mr.  Regan  came  to  Rockford  in  1842.  He  engaged  in 
the  lumber  trade,  in  which  he  spent  his  active  business  life.  He 
was  also  a  contractor  and  builder,  did  a  large  business,  and 
accumulated  a  competence.  Mr.  Regan  was  the  architect  of  the 
old  First  Congregational  church,  on  the  corner  of  First  and 
Walnut  streets.  He  was  a  prominent  citizen  in  early  Rockford, 
and  a  Democrat  in  politics.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Louisa 
Dewey,  whom  he  married  in  Rockford  in  1845.  They  had  six 
children.  The  first  Mrs.  Eber  Carmichael  and  the  late  Mrs.  0. 
A.  Richardson  were  daughters.  Mr.  Regan's  second  marriage 
was  with  Miss  Adelaide  Stewart,  a  native  of  Vermont.  Their 
son,  Hon.  Frank  S.  Regan,  is  an  attorney,  and  astockholder  of 
the  Rockford  Abstract  Company.  In  1898,  through  a  loca-1 
disaffection  in  the  Democratic  party,  Mr.  Regan  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  legislature  as  a  Prohibitionist.  His  only  prede- 
cessor of  the  same  political  faith  in  this  district  was  Hon.  James 
Lamont,  who  is  now  a  member  of  the  editorial  staff  of  the  Chi- 
cago Lever.  The  elder  Regan  died  in  Rockford  in  1875. 

James  B.  Howell  settled  in  Rockford  November  8, 1843. 
His  business  was  that  of  a  wool-carder  and  cloth-dresser.  When 
the  first  dam  was  completed,  Mr.  Howell  operated  a  carding 
and  fulling  machine  on  the  south  side  of  State  street.  He  erected 
a  building  in  1846,  and  began  business  in  1848,  and  continued 
therein  until  the  dam  went  out  in  1851.  He  then  removed  his 
machinery  to  New  Milford.  He  returned  to  Rockford ;  and  some 
years  later  he  formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law,  M. 
H.Regan,  in  the  lumber  business.  After  Huntington  &Barnes' 
book  store  was  destroyed  by  fire,  Mr.  Howell  engaged  in  the 
book  trade.  His  stand  was  the  east  store  in  Metropolitan  Hall 
block,  which  for  many  years  was  occupied  by  B.  R.  Waldo,  in 
the  same  line  of  trade.  L.  A.  Trowbridge  began  business  as  a 
clerk  in  this  store  in  1861.  Mr.  Howell  has  been  treasurer  of  the 


274          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

township  school  fund  since  1888.  He  was  preceded  by  his 
daughter,  Miss  Ella,  who  held  the  office  from  1882  until  her 
marriage  in  1887.  Mr.  Howell  was  a  constituent  member  of 
the  State  Street  Baptist  church.  For  many  years  he  has  lived  a 
retired  life,  and  in  his  old  age  he  is  highly  esteemed  by  a  wide 
circle  of  friends.  Comparatively  few  men  can  faithfully  discharge 
every  duty  of  life  without  occasionally  making  an  enemy  thereby. 
Mr.  Howell  has  enjoyed  the  rare  good  fortune  of  being  an  excep- 
tion to  this  rule. 

Benjamin  A.  Rose  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  in  1817.  In 
early  manhood  he  removed  to  Chemung  county,  New  York,  and 
in  October,  1 844,  he  came  to  Rockford.  His  first  home  was 
next  to  D.  D.  Alling's  house,  on  South  Main  street.  In  1848  he 
bought  a  lot  on  North  church  street,  and  built  a  brick  house. 
In  1855  Mr.  Rose  purchased  the  Jackson  farm  on  Montague 
street,  just  outside  the  city  limits,  where  he  resided  until  his 
death  in  1883.  Mr.  Rose  was  county  clerk  from  1847  to  1849. 
He  was  one  of  the  clerical  force  in  the  banking  house  of  Robert- 
son &  Holland,  and  remained  in  the  bank  one  year  after  removing 
to  the  farm.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rose  were  charter  members  of  the  Sec- 
ond Congregational  church.  Mrs.  Rose  died  in  December,  1896. 

Dr.  Lucius  Clark  became  a  resident  of  Rockford  in  1845.  Dr. 
Clark  was  born  in  Amherst,  Massachusetts,  June  10,  1813.  He 
was  the  third  in  a  family  of  seven  sons,  five  of  whom  became 
physicians.  The  Doctor  received  his  education  in  his  native 
city.  He  pursued  his  medical  studies  at  Berkshire  Medical  Col- 
lege, Massachusetts,  and  at  Geneva  Medical  College,  in  New 
York,  and  received  the  first  diploma  given  by  the  latter  institu- 
tion. Mr.  Clark  practiced  at  Marion,  Palmyra,  and  Chili,  in 
New  York,  for  ten  years,  previous  to  his  settlement  in  Rockford. 
Dr.  Clark  was  a  member  of  the  American  Medical  Association, 
and  of  the  Illinois  State  Medical  Society.  During  the  war  he 
was  in  the  field  a  short  time  as  president  of  the  board  of  exam- 
ining surgeons  for  the  state  of  Illinois.  He  was  for  many  years 
a  trustee  of  Rockford  seminary.  In  1836  Dr.  Clark  married 
Julia  A.  Adams,  of  Hinsdale,  Massachusetts.  She  died  in 
1861.  In  1864  Dr.  Clark  married  Charlotte  M.  Townsend,  of 
this  city.  Dr.  Clark  possessed  rare  social  qualities.  His  genial- 
ity dispelled  all  reserve,  and  broke  down  the  artificial  barriers 
of  formality  and  exclusiveness.  He  had  a  fine  presence,  and  he 
was  careful  to  the  point  of  fastidiousness  in  his  dress.  Dr.  Clark 
was  fond  of  a  joke.  On  one  occasion,  after  hearing  a  sermon 


DR.  LUC'lUS  CLARK.  275 


by  an  intimate  acquaintance,  the  Doctor  complimented  his 
friend  on  his  sermon;  but  remarked  that  he  had  a  book  at  home 
which  contained  every  word  of  it.  The  clergyman,  who  was 
naturally  restive  under  this  imputation,  called  upon  the  Doctor 
for  an  explanation,  when  the  latter  produced  the  dictionary.  Dr. 
Clark's  home  life  was  ideal,  and  his  religious  nature  was  strong 
and  independent.  He  ranked  high  in  his  profession,  and  dis- 
charged every  duty  of  life  as  a  citizen  and  friend  with  strict 
fidelity  and  reverent  sympathy.  His  death  occurred  November 
5,  1878.  Dexter  Clark,  M.  D.,  followed  his  brother  Lucius  to 
Rockford,  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  except  the  time 
spent  in  California,  where  he  went  in  1850.  Dr.  Dexter  Clark 
was  for  many  years  a  prominent  member  of  the  Second  Congre- 
gational church,  and  superintendent  of  its  Sunday-school. 
Many  of  the  older  residents  will  remember  his  noble  Christian 
qualities,  his  ardent  enthusiasm  and  his  generous  sympathies. 
Another  brother,  Dr.  E.  N.  Clark,  set  tied  at  Beloit;  and  a  fourth 
brother,  Dr.  Asabel  Clark,  resided  at  Detroit,  Michigan.  Dr. 
Lucius  Clark  had  two  sons  who  succeeded  him  in  the  practice  of 
medicine:  Dexter  Selwyn,  and  Lucius  Armor.  Dr.  D.  Selwyn 
Clark  died  February  12,  1898.  No  citizen  of  Rockford  had  a 
higher  sense  of  professional  and  personal  honor,  and  his  death 
was  universally  lamented.  The  death  of  Dr.  L.  A.  Clark  occurred 
July  23,  1899,  in  the  house  in  which  he  was  born  fifty  years 
before.  He  had  a  wide  reputation  as  an  expert  surgeon.  Dur- 
ing his  residence  on  the  Pacific  coast  he  was  employed  as  a 
steamship  surgeon  for  some  years,  and  was  a  passenger  on  the 
first  voyage  of  the  Colema,  which,  after  long  service,  foundered 
a  few  years  ago.  Dr.  Clark  was  also  surgeon  for  the  Illinois 
Railroad  Company,  which  position  he  held  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  His  wife  and  one  daughter  survived  him.  For  more 
than  half  a  century  the  Clark  family  was  represented  in  the 
medical  profession  of  Rockford.  In  the  death  of  Armor  Clark 
there  passed  away  the  last  of  this  historic  family  of  practitioners. 
C.  A.  Huntington  came  to  Rockford  in  1845.  He  had  left 
his  family  in  July  at  Racine,  Wisconsin,  until  he  could  find  a 
desirable  place  for  settlement.  November  5th  of  that  year  he 
began  his  first  term  of  school  in  Rockford  in  a  building  owned 
by  H.  R.  Maynard,  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Masonic  Tem- 
ple. In  the  following  year  L.  B.  Gregory  retired  from  teaching, 
and  Mr.  Huntington  succeeded  him  as  teacher  in  the  old  court 
house  building  on  North  First  street,  where  he  remained  until 


376         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAQO  COUNTY. 

the  fall  of  1848.  Mr.  Huntington  then  taught  in  the  old  Bap- 
tist church  on  North  Main  street.  Among  Mr.  Huntington's 
first  pupils  in  Rockford  were  Capt.  E.  E.  Potter,  Leander  H. 
Potter,  Carrol  Spafford,  B.  Rush  Catlin,  E.  P.  Catlin,  Samuel 
Montague,  Hiram  R.  Enoch,  Hiram  H.  Waldo,  Sarah  Preston, 
Adaline  Potter,  Selwyn  Clark,  and  Clinton  C.  Helm.  In  the 
autumn  of  1849  Mr.  Huntington  was  elected  school  commis- 
sioner, and  served  eight  years.  In  that  same  year  he  also  opened 
the  first  book  store  in  Rockford,  on  the  site  of  the  Third  Na- 
tional Bank.  He  subsequently  removed  to  the  corner  store  in 
Laomi  Peake's  block,  where  the  Manufacturers  National  Bank 
now  stands.  There  he  and  Robert  Barnes  conducted  a  book 
store,  and  a  book  bindery  on  the  second  floor.  November  27, 
1857,  this  block  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Huntington  &  Barnes 
carried  a  stock  of  eleven  thousand  dollars,  on  which  there  was 
an  insurance  of  three  thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Huntington  resided 
in  Rockford  until  1864,  when  he  removed  to  California. 

Hon.  William  Brown  was  born  in  Cumberland,  in  the  North 
of  England,  June  1,  1819.  His  father's  family  removed  to  the 
United  States  in  1827,  and  the  senior  Brown  purchased  a  farm 
in  Oneida  county,  New  York.  William  Brown  began  the  study 
of  law  in  Rome,  New  York,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  In 
1846  he  became  a  citizen  of  Rockford.  During  his  first  winter 
in  the  west  he  taught  a  district  school.  Judge  Brown  was  hon- 
ored with  several  public  offices.  He  was  chosen  a  justice  of  the 
peace  in  1847.  In  1852  he  was  elected  state's  attorney  for  the 
district  comprising  Stephenson,  Winnebago  and  Jo  Daviess 
counties,  and  served  three  years.  At  the  expiration  of  that 
time  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Rockford.  In  1857  Judge  Brown 
formed  a  partnership  with  William  Lathrop,  which  continued 
three  years.  He  then  became  a  partner  with  the  late  H.  W. 
Taylor,  with  whom  he  was  associated  until  1870.  In  1864  he 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  legislature  as  a  Republican.  Judge 
Brown  was  first  elected  judge  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the 
promotion  of  Judge  Sheldon  to  the  supreme  bench.  He  was 
subsequently  elected  for  three  full  terms.  His  career  on  the 
bench  covered  twenty  years.  Judge  Brown  and  Caroline  H. 
Miller,  a  daughter  of  Hon.  Horace  Miller,  were  married  Septem- 
ber 19, 1850.  Their  elder  son,  Edward  W.  Brown,  has  been 
three  times  elected  mayor  of  Rockford.  At  the  conclusion  of 
his  present  term  he  will  have  served  six  consecutive  years,  the 
longest  mayoralty  in  our  municipal  history.  Judge  Brown's 


HIRAM  H.  WALDO.  277 


other  children  are  Frank  R.  Brown  and  Mrs.  H.  W.  Buckbee. 
Judge  Brown  was  an  able  lawyer,  a  conscientious  judge,  and  a 
Christian  gentleman.  By  prudent  management  he  acquired  a 
large  estate.  He  was  a  liberal  supporter  of  the  Centennial 
Methodist  church,  and  was  generous  in  the  use  of  his  money  in 
charity  and  public  enterprises.  The  Brown  Building  is  named 
in  his  honor,  and  a  controlling  interest  is  owned  by  his  family. 
Judge  Brown  died  January  15, 1891. 

Hiram  H.  Waldo  was  born  in  Elba,  Genesee  county,  New 
York,  November  23, 1827.  He  came  to  Kockford  in  1846,  when 
he  was  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  completed  his  early  education 
in  the  district  schools.  He  studied  in  summer,  and  taught  in 
the  winter,  for  several  years,  until  1851.  Mr.  Waldo  taught 
in  the  Redington  district,  in  the  old  First  Baptist  church, 
Cherry  Valley,  Guilford,  Harlem,  in  the  basement  of  the  First 
Methodist  church  as  assistant  to  Seely  Perry,  and  as  assistant 
to  C.  A.  Huntington,  on  First  street.  While  at  Cherry  Valley  he 
walked  to  Rockford,  a  distance  of  eight  miles,  to  attend  a  lecture 
by  John  B.  Gough.  Mr.  Waldo  subsequently  spent  two  years 
in  Chicago,  where  he  secured  a  clerkship  in  the  postoffice,  under 
Postmaster  Dole,  and  was  promoted  to  the  superintendency  of 
western  distribution.  Mr.  Waldo  remained  a  short  time  under 
Postmaster  Isaac  Cook.  He  returned  to  Rockford  when  Charles 
1.  Horsman  became  postmaster  the  second  time.  Mr.  Horsman 
did  not  give  his  personal  attention  to  the  office,  and  Mr.  Waldo 
assumed  this  responsibility.  He  paid  Mr.  Horsman  five  hundred 
dollars  a  year  from  the  earnings  of  the  office,  and  retained  the 
balance  as  his  compensation.  Mr.  Horsman,  however,  gave 
him  a  guarantee  that  he  would  receive  an  equivalent  to  his 
salary  in  Chicago.  Mr.  Waldo  opened  a  book  store  in  1855,  in 
a  frame  building  which  rested  on  poles,  where  the  Grand  Union 
tea  store  now  stands.  He  remained  there  four  years,  and  then 
removed  into  his  present  stand,  in  1859,  where  for  forty-one 
years  he  has  done  business  without  interruption.  He  is  the 
only  merchant  now  in  business  of  all  those  engaged  in  trade 
when  he  began.  Mr.  Waldo,  however,  was  not  the  only  early 
book  dealer  on  the  West  side.  JohnM.  Perry,  a  brother  of  Seely 
Perry,  had  a  book  store  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  L.  Moulth- 
rop's  dry  goods  store.  Mr.  Perry  sold  this  stock  to  J.  W. 
Seccomb.  Mr.  Waldo  served  as  school  commissioner  of  Winne- 
bago  county  from  1857  to  1859,  and  again  from  1863  to  1865. 
He  took  an  honest  pride  in  the  teachers'  institutes,  which  were 


278         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND   WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

attended  by  all  classes  of  people,  instead  of  teachers  only,  as  at 
present.  Mr.  Waldo  believes  that  his  efforts  in  that  direction 
have  never  been  surpassed.  In  politics  Mr.  Waldo  claims  the 
unique  distinction  of  always  having  voted  with  the  minority. 
He  was  an  Abolitionist  when  there  were  only  seven  in  the  county. 
His  affiliations  in  later  years  have  been  generally  with  theDem- 
cratic  party.  Upon  the  failure  of  the  Second  National  Bank,  Mr. 
Waldo  was  appointed  receiver  by  Commissioner  Eckles,  and  has 
paid  eighty-five  per  cent,  of  the  indebtedness.  Since  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Church  of  the  Christian  Union  in  1870,  Mr.  Waldo 
has  been  an  enthusiastic  supporter  of  Dr.  Kerr.  It  is  said  that 
in  the  nearly  thirty  years  of  its  existence  as  an  independent 
church,  Mr.  Waldo  has  never  missed  a  service.  Perhaps  no  man 
in  town  is  as  well  known  as  H.  H.  Waldo.  He  has  a  ready  wit, 
and  the  range  of  his  information  is  broad.  He  is  a  shrewd 
observer  of  men  and  affairs ;  and  has  an  inexhaustible  fund  of 
reminiscence  at  his  instant  command.  His  knowledge  of  the 
social  life  of  Rockford  covers  more  than  half  a  century,  and, 
with  one  or  two  exceptions,  surpasses  that  of  any  other  citizen. 

L.  F.  Warner  is  a  native  of  Connecticut.  He  read  law  with 
Hon.  Reuben  Booth,  who  had  been  governor  of  the  state.  A 
statute  of  the  commonwealth  then  required  a  student  to  read 
law  three  years  before  admission  to  the  bar.  Mr.  Warner  came 
to  Rockford  in  November,  1848.  Chicago  at  that  time  gave  no 
promise  of  so  far  outstripping  Rockford.  The  Galena  &  Chicago 
Union  had  built  a  construction  track  a  few  miles  from  Chicago. 
In  1848  East  Rockford  was  larger  than  the  West  side,  and  had 
more  wealth.  Mr.  Warner  has  always  been  a  Democrat.  He 
was  a  delegate  to  the  famous  convention  at  Charleston,  in  1860, 
which  resulted  in  a  breach  in  the  party,  and  the  nomination  of 
Stephen  A.  Douglas  for  the  presidency  at  a  later  convention. 
Mr.  Warner  has  served  Rockford  as  city  attorney.  He  is  now 
the  senior  member  of  the  Rockford  bar.  In  1898  he  completed 
a  full  half  century  of  continuous  practice  in  his  profession. 

Melancthon  Starr  is  an  honored  name  in  Rockford  history. 
Mr.  Starr  was  born  in  Albany,  New  York,  April  14,  1816.  In 
1840  .he  went  to  Tallahassee,  as  a  commission  merchant,  where 
he  represented  several  New  York  houses.  His  principal  business 
was  the  purchase  of  cotton  and  its  shipment  in  large  quantities 
to  the  north.  Mr.  Starr,  however,  was  a  lover  of  freedom,  and 
he  became  so  disgusted  with  the  scenes  incident  to  slavery  that 
he  removed  north.  He  became  cashier  of  the  banking  house  of 


MELANCTHON  STARR.  279 

Nevins,  Townsend  &  Co.,  on  Wall  street,  New  York.  His  resi- 
dence was  at  Jersey  City.  Mr.  Starr  removed  to  Rockford 
in  1850.  He  first  conducted  a  dry  goods  business  on  the 
Second  National  Bank  corner.  He  was  assignee  of  Charles  I. 
Horsman's  bank  when  it  failed.  In  1855  Mr.  Starr  became  inter- 
ested in  what  was  afterward  called  the  Winnebago  National 
Bank.  This  banking  house  was  founded  in  1848  by  Thomas  D. 
Robertson  and  John  A.  Holland.  Later  John  S.  Coleman 
became  a  partner,  and  the  firm  was  Robertson,  Coleman  &  Co. 
On  the  death  of  Mr.  Holland,  Mr.  Starr  was  admitted  to  the 
firm ;  and  after  Mr.  Coleman's  death  the  firm  was  Robertson  & 
Starr,  which  continued  until  the  organization  of  the  Winnebago 
National  Bank,  in  1865.  By  reason  of  the  respective  charac- 
teristics of  these  gentlemen,  the  house  of  Robertson  &  Starr  was 
sometimes  called  the  firm  of  the  Law  and  the  Gospel.  Mr.  Rob- 
ertson was  president,  ard  Mr.  Starr  was  vice-president  until  his 
death.  In  1857  Mr.  Starr  sold  his  homestead  on  North  Main 
street  to  Elias  Cosper.  It  was  his  intention  to  return  east ;  but 
the  death  of  Mrs.  Starr  changed  his  plans,  and  he  re-purchased 
his  former  home,  where  he  spent  his  last  years.  Mr.  Starr  was 
the  beloved  patriarch  of  a  large  family  circle.  December  16, 
1839,  he  was  married  to  Lucretia  M.  Nevins,  at  Norwich,  Con- 
necticut. She  possessed  literary  attainments  and  great  force  of 
character.  Their  six  children  are:  Harry  N.,  Mrs.  John  P. 
Manny,  Mrs.  C.  W.  Brown,  Chandler,  David  N.,and  Miss  Lucre- 
tia. The  mother  died  in  1857.  In  1861  Mr.  Starr  married 
Ellen  M.  Townsend,  who  still  resides  in  Rockford.  Mr.  Starr 
was  a  man  of  the  world  in  the  best  sense,  and  left  quite  a  large 
estate.  He  was  one  of  nature's  noblemen.  It  has  been  said 
he  never  left  a  promise  unfulfilled.  He  treated  all  men  with 
respect.  The  poorest  man  was  made  to  feel  in  the  presence  of 
Melancthon  Starr  that  he  was  a  gentleman,  and  he  always 
received  the  same  courteous  treatment  as  though  he  were 
the  possessor  of  unlimited  wealth,  and  moved  in  the  highest 
social  circles.  Mr.  Starr  was  a  rare  type  of  that  rapidly- 
departing  class,  the  old-school,  Christian  gentleman.  There 
was  not  a  grain  of  cynicism  in  his  nature.  The  geniality  of  his 
disposition  was  as  constant  as  the  stability  of  his  character. 
A  beautiful  trait  was  his  sympathy  for  his  old  friend,  the  late 
Ephraim  Wyman,  who  in  his  old  age  was  reduced  to  very  mod- 
erate circumstances.  Nearly  every  Sunday  Mr.  Starr  visited 
his  friend,  and  cheered  his  last  years  with  his  sympathy  and 


280          HISTORY  OF  ROC'KFORD  AND}WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

puree.  Mr.  Starr  was  a  Unitarian.  He  was  a  communicant  of 
of  that  church  until  its  membership  disbanded,  when  he  became 
a  regular  attendant  at  the  Church  of  the  Christian  Union.  Mr. 
Starr  died,  universally  esteemed,  November  29, 1885. 

John  Edwards  was  born  at  Acton,  Massachusetts,  August 
18,  1800.  He  was  in  business  in  Lowell  before  his  removal  to 
the  west.  Mr.  Edwards  was  living  at  Alton,  Illinois,  during  the 
excitement  which  resulted  in  the  death  of  Rev.  Elijah  P.  Love- 
joy,  America's  martyr  to  free  soil  and  free  speech.  On  that 
occasion  Mr.  Edwards  took  an  honorable  and  decided  position 
in  favor  of  the  freedom  of  the  press;  and  stood  on  guard 
at  Mr.  Lovejoy's  bed,  with  a  loaded  musket  in  his  hand,  the 
night  before  that  brave  Abolitionist  was  murdered  by  the  pro- 
slavery  mob.  Mr.  Edwards  came  to  Rockford  in  1850.  He 
was  the  first  dealer  in  pine  lumber  in  the  city.  His  first  yard 
was  near  Peter  Sames'  wagon  factory,  near  the  Northwestern 
railroad  track.  Most  of  his  lumber  at  this  yard  came  by  team 
from  St.  Charles,  and  the  amount  of  stock  on  hand  at  one  time 
was  from  ten  to  twelve  thousand  feet.  His  second  yard  was  on 
the  north  west  corner  of  Church  and  State  streets,  and  the  lumber 
was  hauled  from  Elgin.  At  times  he  had  difficulty  in  getting  the 
lumber  from  the  terminus  of  the  railroad  at  Elgin.  The  teamsters 
who  hauled  wheat  to  that  place  would  throw  off  a  portion  of 
the  load  when  stalled  in  the  mud  at  Pigeon  Woods,  and  leave 
it  there.  Mr.  Edwards  encouraged  the  development  of  the 
Rockford  water-power;  was  interested  in  the  work  of  the  semi- 
nary, and  during  his  last  years  he  was  its  agent.  Mr.  Edwards 
was  an  upright,  worthy  gentleman,  of  New  England  stock.  His 
home  was  the  present  residence  of  George  R.  Forbes.  His  death 
occurred  June  14, 1871.  Mrs.  Edwards  was  a  woman  of  fine 
presence  and  force  of  character.  She  spent  her  last  years  with 
her  daughter  in  Chicago,  and  died  at  about  ninety  years  of  age. 
Their  three  children  are :  Mrs.  A.  L.  Chetlain,  of  Chicago,  form- 
erly Mrs.  Melancthon  Smith;  Mrs.  Julia  Clemens,  of  Rockford: 
and  the  Rev.  John  Edwards,  a  retired  Presbyterian  clergyman. 
His  wife  was  a  sister  of  the  late  Melancthon  Starr. 


CHAPTER  LIV. 

DEPARTURE  OF  MR.   HAIGHT. — LOCAL  STATISTICS. — OTHER  NOTES. 

DANIEL  S.  HAIGHT,  the  founder  of  East  Rockford,  like  his 
West  side  rival,  did  not  remain  in  Rockford  to  see  the  fru- 
ition of  his  early  settlement.  Mr.  Haight  removed  from  the 
village  in  the  winter  of  1847—48,  and  settled  in  Texas,  near 
Shreveport,  Louisiana.  He  revisited  Rockford  in  1857.  The 
date  of  his  death  is  unknown  to  his  old  friends  in  Rockford. 
There  is  a  tradition,  which  is  commonly  accepted,  that  he  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Confederate  army,  and  that  he  died  after  the 
civil  war  at  Fort  Worth,  Texas.  No  worthy  record  of  his  life 
and  work  has  been  preserved ;  but  next  to  Mr.  Kent,  his  name 
is  most  prominent  in  early  history. 

In  the  autumn  of  1845  an  eccentric  character,  who  gloried 
in  the  name  of  Julius  P.  Bolivar  McCabe,  made  his  appearance 
in  Rockford.  He  prepared  a  historical  sketch  of  the  village, 
which  was  published  in  the  Forum  of  December  3,  1845,  which 
gave  a  statistical  resume  of  Rockford,  which  the  writer  called 
"one  of  the  most  tastefully  built  towns  in  Illinois."  There  were 
six  congregations :  Baptists,  Congregationalists,  Episcopalians, 
Methodists,  Universalists  and  Unitarians;  a  branch  of  the 
American  Bible  Society ;  one  classical  and  three  select  schools, 
with  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  pupils ;  eleven  dry  goods  stores, 
with  a  winter  stock  which  aggregated  sixty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars; a  printing  office ;  three  hotels;  fourteen  lawyers ;  six  phy- 
sicians; three  justices  of  the  peace;  two  drug  stores;  two  jewelry 
stores;  two  harness  shops;  one  iron  foundry;  two  sawmills; 
one  fanning-mill  factory ;  one  furnace  and  machine  shop ;  a  dis- 
tinguished portrait  and  landscape  painter ;  two  land  agencies ; 
two  wagon  shops ;  three  groceries ;  one  edge-tool  maker ;  two 
dentists ;  two  meat  markets ;  four  tailor  shops ;  one  bakery ; 
five  shoe  shops ;  two  cabinet  shops;  one  copper  and  tinsmith 
shop ;  five  blacksmith  shops ;  two  cooper  shops ;  two  paint  shops ; 
one  livery  stable,  and  one  fashionable  barber  shop.  The  popu- 
lation of  the  East  side  was  six  hundred  and  eighty ;  West  side, 
five  hundred  and  ninety-eight ;  total  in  village,  twelve  hundred 
and  seventy-eight.  Of  this  population,  four  hundred  and  seventy 


282          BISTORT  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINN^BAOO  COUNTY. 

were  natives  of  New  York ;  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven  of 
the  six  New  England  states;  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  of 
Illinois,  including  one  hundred  and  nineteen  who  were  born  in 
Kockford.  Luther  Miller,  father  of  Anson  S.  and  Cyrus  F,  Miller, 
then  in  his  seventy-fifth  year,  was  the  oldest  man  in  the  village. 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  McKinney,  aged  seventy-six  years,  was  the 
oldest  woman.  There  were  only  two  colored  persons  in  the 
town.  On  the  East  side  there  were  one  hundred  and  fifty-one 
houses;  on  the  West  side,  one  hundred  and  twenty-six;  total, 
two  hundred  and  seventy-seven.  In  describing  the  courthouse, 
this  statistician  said:  "It  is  crowned  with  a  beautiful  and 
well-proportioned  cupola,  which  rises  fifteen  feet  above  the  roof 
of  the  building." 

February  23, 1844,  Charles  Latimer,  a  former  lawyer  and  well 
known  citizen  of  Rockford,  was  shot  at  Potoski,  Wisconsin.  A 
few  days  previous  to  the  fatal  affray,  Latimer  became  involved 
in  a  quarrel  with  a  Mr.  Gloster  and  another  gentleman,  which 
arose  from  a  discussion  of  the  right  of  foreigners  to  vote.  It 
was  proposed  to  settle  the  difficulty  by  a  duel;  but  by  the  inter- 
position of  friends,  it  was  thought  that  the  matter  had  been 
amicably  adjusted.  On  Friday  morning,  however,  as  Gloster 
was  passing  along  the  street,  Latimer  accosted  him,  drew  a 
pistol  and  fired.  The  wadding  lodged  on  Gloster's  breast,  but 
the  ball  passed  over  his  shoulder.  So  heavy  was  the  charge 
that  the  stock  of  the  pistol  was  shattered  by  the  discharge. 
Gloster  immediately  retreated,  but  was  followed  by  Latimer, 
who  had  armed  himself  with  two  loaded  pistols  and  a  bowie- 
knife.  As  Latimer  advanced  to  Gloster,  he  said:  "Are  you 
ready?  One  or  the  other  of  us  must  die  today"  Gloster  replied 
that  he  was  not,  and  went  to  procure  a  double-barreled  shotgun 
loaded  with  shot.  On  Latimer's  approach  Gloster  warned  him 
to  keep  back ;  but  Latimer  still  advanced,  and  raised  his  pistol, 
which  missed  fire.  At  this  juncture  Gloster  fired,  and  most  of 
the  charge  took  effect  in  Latimer's  breast.  As  he  fell,  he  tried  to 
fire  again,  but  failed.  He  expired  almost  instantly.  Gloster 
immediately  delivered  himself  to  the  authorities,  and  after  a 
preliminary  hearing  he  was  discharged.  Mr.  Latimer,  who  had 
been  rather  intemperate  in  his  habits,  was  said  to  have  been 
perfectly  sober  at  the  time  of  the  affray. 

At  the  April  term  of  the  circuit  court,  in  1844,  a  case  was 
tried  which  involved  the  liability  of  stage  proprietors.    Samuel 


THE  FORTY-NINERS.  283 


B.  Hall  recovered  against  Messrs.  Friuk,  Walker  &  Co.  a  verdict 
for  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars,  for  a  trunk  which  was 
stolen  from  a  stage  belonging  to  the  defendants,  in  which  the 
plaintiff  had  taken  passage.    It  appeared  conclusively  that  the 
plaintiff  was  a  passenger  in  defendant's  stage  while  enroute 
from  Rockford  to  Chicago,  and  put  his  trunk  on  board,  and 
that  the  same  was  stolen  before  it  arrived  at  Newburg,  without 
any  fault  or  negligence  of  the  defendants.    The  jury,  however, 
were  satisfied  that  they  were  liable  as  common  carriers,  with- 
out any  default. 

February  17, 1846,  a  convention  of  physicians  of  northern 
Illinois  and  southern  Wisconsin  was  held  in  Rockford,  when 
the  organization  of  the  Rock  River  Medical  Association  was 
perfected.  Its  object  was  mutual  protection  and  improvement 
in  professional  knowledge.  Dr.  Goodhue^was  elected  president ; 
G.  Hulett  and  George  Haskell,  vice-presidents;  S.  G.  Armor, 
secretary  and  treasurer;  censors,  Lucius  Clark,  A.M.  Catlin,  A. 
Thomas.  The  first  annual  meeting  of  the  society  was  held  in 
Rockford  the  19th  of  May  following. 

The  gold  excitement  drew  many  to  California  in  1849-50. 
Among  those  who  went  from  Rockford  were  Giles  C.  Hard,  A. 

C.  Spafford,  D.  K.  Lyon,  H.  B.  Potter,  Dexter  Clark,  William 
Hamilton,  H.  H.  Silsby,  Isaac  Rowley,  ObadiahE.  Lamb,  a  Mr. 
Smith,  a  Mr.  Lewis,  Sylvester  Robinson,  and  Henry  L.  Simpson. 
Mr.  Robinson  died  at  Mud  Springs,  forty-five  miles  east  of  Sac- 
ramento, a  few  days  after  his  arrival.    Mr.  Robinson  was  a 
native  of  Connecticut,  and  came  to  Rockford  in  1847.    He  was 
father  of  Mrs.  E.  P.  Catlin  and  H.  H.  and  N.  S.  Robinson.    Mr. 
Simpson  died  while  on  his  return  home,  at  Peru,  Illinois,  in 
March,  1851.    His  remains  were  brought  to  Rockford  for  bur- 
ial.   Mr.  Simpson  was  father  of  E.  L.  Simpson  and  Mrs.  Z.  B. 
Sturtevant.    He  came  to  Rockford  about  1839.    He  built  a 
brick  house  which  still  stands  on  Leonard  Schmauss'  lot  on 
North  Second  street;  and  part  of  another  brick  house  on  the 
south  west  corner  of  First  and  Market  streets.  Mr.  Simpson  was 
engaged  in  the  business  of  blacksmith.    He  owned  a  one-half 
interest  in  a  grist  mill  at  Cherry  Valley,  and  property  in  Rock- 
ford.    Mr.  Lamb  died  in  California.    As  in  all  similar  ventures, 
some  were  successful;  while  others  received  no  adequate  returns 
for  their  journey  into  the  far  country. 


CHAPTER  LV. 

EMMANUEL  CHURCH.    (EPISCOPAL.) 

THERE  are  no  early  official  records  of  this  church ;  and  the 
writer  is  indebted  to  Levi  Moulthrop,  one  of  the  oldest  resi- 
dent churchmen,  for  the  facts  given  in  this  chapter.  The  Rt. 
Rev.  Philander  Chase,  D.  D.,  first  bishop  of  the  diocese  of  Illinois, 
made  his  first  episcopal  visitation  to  Rockford,  August  28, 
1841.  Prior  to  this  time  there  had  been  no  public  services  of 
the  Episcopal  church  held  in  the  county.  There  had  been  only 
a  very  few  families  of  the  faith  who  had  settled  in  Rockford. 
Levi  Moulthrop,  M.  D.,  was  the  first  churchman  who  came  into 
this  county.  Dr.  Moulthrop  arrived  in  the  autumn  of  1835.  He 
brought  the  first  American  Prayer  Book,  which  is  now  in  the 
possession  of  his  son,  Levi  Moulthrop,  the  dry  goods  merchant. 

The  first  church  family  who  settled  in  the  county  was  that 
of  Sampson  George,  who  came  from  Yorkshire,  England.  They 
arrived  in  the  settlement  of  Rockford  September  24,  1836.  The 
family  consisted  of  Mr.  George,  his  wife,  Ann,  and  five  children, 
two  daughters  and  three  sons.  The  children  had  received 
baptism  in  England.  Mr.  George  brought  a  letter  from  their 
parish  priest,  commending  the  family  to  the  spiritual  care  of 
any  clergyman  of  the  American  church  into  whose  jurisdiction 
they  might  come.  They  also  brought  two  English  Prayer 
Books.  The  death  of  Mr.  George  occurred  five  weeks  after  the 
arrival  of  the  family  in  Rockford.  There  was  no  priest  nearer 
than  the  missionary  at  Galena,  and  he  could  not  be  definitely 
located,  owing  to  the  extent  of  territory  under  his  charge.  Thus 
the  first  churchman  was  buried  without  the  offices  of  the  church. 

During  the  next  few  years  several  other  families  of  the  church 
settled  in  the  county.  Among  these  were  Jonathan  Weldon, 
Chauncy  Kay,  and  John  W.  Taylor.  The  former  two  settled 
on  farms  about  six  miles  southwest  of  the  town,  and  the  latter 
remained  in  the  village,  and  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  business. 

At  the  Bishop's  first  visitation  the  services  were  held  in  the 
old  court  house  building  on  North  First  street,  which  served  a 
similar  purpose  for  other  households  of  the  faith.  The  holy 


FIRST  CELEBRA  TION  OF  THE  EUCHARIST.  285 

eucharist  was  celebrated  for  the  first  time  in  the  county,  and 
holy  baptism  administered.  The  Bishop  preached.  John  Wad- 
leigh  Taylor,  infant  son  of  John  W.  and  Jane  P.  Taylor,  was 
baptized. 

August  4, 1842,  the  Bishop  made  a  second  visitation  to  Rock- 
ford.  The  services  morning  and  afternoon  were  held  in  the  same 
building  as  in  the  preceding  year.  The  sacraments  of  the  holy 
eucharist,  baptism  and  confirmation  were  administered.  One 
of  the  baptisms  was  that  of  Levi,  infant  son  of  Mrs.  Margaret 
Moulthrop.  Those  who  received  confirmation  were  Miss  M.  E. 
Weldon,  Mrs.  Margaret  Moulthrop,  Salmon  R.  and  Spencer  S. 
Weldon.  The  Bishop  preached  two  sermons.  Aside  from  these 
yearly  visitations  by  the  Bishop,  the  few  church  families  in  and 
around  Rockford  were  without  the  sacraments  of  the  church, 
except  an  occasional  service  by  some  missionary  priest  from  a 
distant  point. 

In  1845 the  Rev.  Alfred  I/auderback,  of  New  Yorkstate,  was 
appointed  by  the  domestic  board  of  missions  to  the  missionary 
field  of  northern  Illinois  and  southern  Wisconsin,  with  Belvidere 
and  Rockford  as  chief  points  of  location.  This  fact  meant  more 
regular  and  frequent  services  for  Rockford.  The  new  mission- 
ary's first  service  was  held  August  10,  1845.  Father  Lauder- 
back  ministered  in  this  section  two  years,  when  he  was  sent  to 
take  charge  of  the  parish  which  had  been  recently  organized  at 
Galena,  Illinois.  From  this  time  for  several  years  occasional 
services  were  held  in  the  village  by  the  Rev.  Dudley  Chase,  a 
son  of  the  Bishop,  and  the  Revs.  Humphrey  and  Millett,  of 
Beloit,  Wisconsin;  Pulford,  of  Belvidere;  Johnston,  of  Pekin, 
and  Miller,  of  Bonus,  Illinois,  the  father  of  Orrin  Miller,  an  early 
Rockford  attorney.  Services  were  generally  held  in  the  new 
court  house. 

The  present  parish  was  organized  May  1,  1849.  A  meeting 
of  the  parishioners,  both  men  and  women,  was  convened,  at 
which  the  Rev.  Dudley  Chase  presided  ;  and  the  parochial  organ- 
ization was  effected  in  accordance  with  the  prescribed  canonical 
form.  The  articles  of  association  were  signed  by  Chauncy  Ray, 
Jonathan  Weldon,  Horace  Starkey,  Duncan  J.  Stewart,  John 
Conrad,  S.  R.  Weldon,  and  Spencer  S.  Weldon.  Upon  the  organ- 
ization of  the  parish,  the  parishioners  proceeded  to  the  election 
of  a  vestry.  Those  elected  were:  senior  warden,  Horace  Star- 
key;  junior  warden,  Chauncy  Ray;  vestrymen,  John  Conrad, 
Duncan  J.  Stewart,  S.  R.  Weldon. 


286          BISTORT  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNKBAGO  COUNTY. 

The  Rev.  Dudley  Chase  was  called  to  be  the  first  rector.  He 
accepted  the  call,  but  afterward  declined,  as  he  preferred  to 
accept  a  charge  in  Chicago,  where  he  organized  the  parish  of  the 
Atonement  on  the  West  side,  which  was  afterward  merged  into 
the  cathedral  of  Saints  Peter  and  Paul. 

November  15, 1852,  the  Rev.  Charles  Reighley,  of  Chicago, 
was  called  to  the  rectorship  of  the  parish.  With  the  consent  of 
the  new  bishop,  Rt.  Rev.  Henry  John  Whitehouse,  the  call  was 
accepted,  and  the  first  rector  entered  at  once  upon  his  work. 
Bishop  Chase  had  died  September  27,  1852,  and  had  been  suc- 
ceeded by  Bishop  Whitehouse.  A  lot  was  purchased  on  the 
corner  of  North  Church  and  North  streets,  for  two  hundred 
dollars,  and  a  church  building  erected  at  a  cost  of  nineteen 
hundred  dollars.  The  new  church  was  consecrated  by  Bishop 
Whitehouse,  August  23,  1853,  "by  the  name  of  Emmanuel 
Church,  Rockford." 

Succeeding  the  Rev.  Charles  Reighley  have  been  the  follow- 
ing rectors  in  the  order  named :  Revs.  Anson  Clark,  Michael 
Schofield,  William  T.  Smithett,  Thomas  Smith,  S.  B.  Duffield, 
J.  E.  Walton,  S.  D.  Day,  C.  S.  Percival,  F.  W.  Adams,  A.  W. 
Snyder,  D.  C.  Peabody,  Wyllys  Rede,  and  N.  B.  Clinch. 

The  Rev.  D.  C.  Peabody  became  rector  March  1,  1886.  Dur- 
ing his  rectorship  the  present  rectory  was  purchased,  and  the 
Fairfield  Memorial  Parish  House  erected,  at  a  cost  of  forty 
thousand  dollars.  The  latter  was  the  gift  of  one  parishioner, 
Mrs.  Eleanor  G.  Fairfield,  and  was  erected  as  a  memorial  to  her 
late  husband,  W.  W.  Fairfield.  An  additional  thirty  feet  of 
land  adjoining  the  church  lot  on  the  west  was  purchased,  at  a 
cost  of  sixteen  hundred  dollars,  and  many  other  permanent 
improvements  made  in  the  parish. 

Emmanuel  church,  like  the  Episcopal  church  in  America, 
has  calmly  pursued  the  even  tenor  of  its  way.  Centuries  ago  the 
forefathers,  in  iconoclastic  zeal,  discarded  the  beauty  and  sub- 
limity of  her  ritual.  With  a  sort  of  reversion  to  type  instinct, 
non-conformist  churches  have  from  time  to  time  since  then 
incorporated  portions  of  her  ritual  into  their  service.  Like  air 
and  sunshine,  it  appeals  to  the  great  universal,  and  will  ever 
maintain  its  place  in  public  worship.  Four  of  the  greatest 
spiritual  forces  of  the  centuries,  Frederick  W.  Robertson,  Fran- 
ces Ridley  Havergal,  Phillips  Brooks  and  Archdeacon  Farrar, 
have  found  in  this  venerable  church  a  congenial  atmosphere  for 
the  highest  development  of  the  religious  nature. 


CHAPTER  LVI. 

ROCKFORD  FEMALE  SEMINARY.— ANNA  P.  SILL.— ARATU8  KENT. 

THE  subject  of  higher  education  received  attention  at  an  early 
date  in  this  section.  As  early  as  1836  or  '37  a  joint  stock 
company  was  formed  at  Belvidere,  for  the  purpose  of  building 
and  maintaining  an  institution  to  be  known  as  Newton  academy. 
March  4,  1838,  an  instrument  of  writing  issued  from  Boone 
county,  by  Dr.  Whitney,  commissioner  of  sales  for  the  county, 
conveying  to  John  S.  King,  Hiram  "Waterman,  A.  D.  Bishop, 
William  Dresser  and  F.  WT.  Crosby,  trustes  of  New  ton  academy, 
and  their  successors  in  office,  for  the  use  of  the  academy,  block 
twenty  in  the  original  town  of  Belvidere.  This  tract  of  ground 
cornered  with  the  southeast  corner  of  the  public  square,  and  is 
now  occupied  bp  the  residence  of  H.  C.  DeDunn.  The  building 
was  commenced,  and  so  far  completed  as  to  be  tenantable,  and 
Prof.  Seth  S.  Whitman  taught  a  school  therein.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  another  teacher  whose  name  has  been  forgotten.  In 
August,  1843,  the  academy,  grounds  and  franchises  passed 
from  the  association,  and  became  the  property  of  John  Wai- 
worth,  in  trust,  to  be  used  by  him  for  educational  purposes,  and 
none  other.  In  the  same  month  Mr.  Walworth  conveyed  the 
property  to  Arthur  Fuller,  a  brother  of  the  famous  Margaret 
Fuller,  subject  to  all  the  conditions  named  in  the  conveyance  to 
Walworth.  Miss  Fuller  went  to  Belvidere  in  person,  and  bought 
the  property,  and  had  the  deed  executed  to  her  brother.  Mr. 
Fuller  occupied  the  academy  as  a  teacher  about  two  years, 
when  he  conveyed  the  property  to  John  K.  Towner  and  Eben 
Conant,  subject  to  the  same  conditions.  Mr.  Conant  was  father 
of  Rev.  A.  H.  Conant,  who  was  pastor  of  the  Unitarian  church 
of  Rockford.  The  son  used  the  academy  as  a  school  room  and 
house  of  worship,  llis  doctrines  did  not  meet  the  approval  of 
the  membership  of  the  other  churches,  and  neither  his  school 
nor  his  church  met  with  special  success ;  and  in  January,  1852, 
Messrs.  Towner  and  Conant  conveyed  the  property  to  the  Rev. 
Charles  Hill  Roe,  a  Baptist  clergyman.  From  that  time,  for 
many  years,  the  academy  was  used  ks  a  private  residence;  then 
as  a  barn,  and  was  finally  destroyed  by  fire. 


288  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

About  1839  a  seminary  was  founded  at  Mt.  Morris,  in  Ogle 
county.  The  attempt  to  establish  a  school  at  Kishwaukee  was 
noted  in  a  preceding  chapter. 

As  early  as  1843  there  was  some  discussion  of  the  need  of  a 
college  for  the  upper  Rock  river  valley.  A  general  convention 
of  the  churches  of  the  northwest  was  held  at  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
in  June,  1844,  at  which  education  received  much  attention.  It 
was  decided  that  a  college  and  a  female  seminary  should  be 
founded  in  southern  Wisconsin  and  northern  Illinois,  respect- 
ively. A  resolution  was  adopted  that  the  "exigencies  of  Wis- 
consin and  northern  Illinois  require  that  those  sections  should 
unite  in  establishing  a  college  and  a  female  seminary  of  the 
highest  order — one  in  Wisconsin,  near  to  Illinois,  and  the  other 
in  Illinois,  near  to  Wisconsin."  The  delegates,  upon  their 
return,  called  a  convention  at  Beloit  in  August,  1844.  Three 
subsequent  conventions  were  held  at  Beloit,  because  it  was 
believed  from  the  first  that  the  college  should  be  located  at  that 
place.  The  resolution  of  the  first  convention,  affirming  the 
need  of  both  college  and  seminary,  was  re-affirmed  in  these  sub- 
sequent conventions,  representing  especially  the  Presbyterian 
and  Congregational  ministry  and  churches  in  all  the  region. 
The  union  of  these  two  churches  in  this  movement  may  be 
attributed  to  the  fact  that  each  was  weak  as  it  stood  alone, 
and  only  in  union  was  there  strength.  At  the  fourth  conven- 
tion, held  at  Beloit  in  October,  1845,  Beloit  was  selected  as  the 
seat  of  the  college,  and  a  board  of  trustees  was  elected,  to  whom 
was  committed  the  development  of  both  institutions.  The  first 
meeting  of  the  trustees  was  held  the  same  month.  Upon  the 
original  board  were  Rev.  Aratus  Kent  and  Hon.  Wait  Talcott. 
The  charter  for  Beloit  college  was  approved  by  the  governor  of 
the  territory  of  Wisconsin,  February  2,  1846.  Middle  college, 
the  first  building,  was  begun  in  the  autumn  of  that  year. 

Then  began  the  discussion  of  a  site  for  the  seminary.  Rock- 
ton  and  Rockford  were  rivals.  But  Beloit  had  been  selected  for 
the  college;  and  from  the  Puritanical  point  of  view  of  those 
days,  Rockton  was  considered  not  a  desirable  distance  for  a 
college  for  young  ladies.  Thus  Rockford  was  given  the  prefer- 
ence. The  Rockford  Forum  of  October  29,  1845,  published  a 
call  for  a  meetiug  at  the  Methodist  church,  on  Monday  evening, 
November  3d,  to  consider  the  location  of  the  seminary.  This 
call  was  signed  by  thirty-four  citizens,  led  by  T.  D.  Robertson. 


OLD  SEMINARY    BUILDING 


[Began  for  the  First  Congregational  church,  subsequently  owned  by  the  county 
as  a  court  house.  Miss  Sill  began  her  preparatory  school  here.  It  was  also  occupied 
as  a  place  of  worship  by  several  churches.  Last  stood  on  Gilbert  Woodruff's  grounds. 
Torn  clown  autumn  of  1899] 


SCIENCE   HALL,    ROCKFORD  COLLEGE 


THE  PREPARATORY  SCHOOL.  289 

At  this  meeting  it  was  resolved  to  attempt  to  raise  the  sum 
prescribed  by  the  Beloit  trustees  as  necessary — about  three 
thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  A  committee  was  appointed  to 
solicit  subscriptions,  consisting  of  Jason  Marsh,  George  Has- 
kell,  Willard  Wheeler,  Asa  Crosby,  Anson  S.  Miller,  P.  B.  John- 
son, and  Horace  Foote.  The  Forum  of  November  5,  1845, 
contains  a  full  report  of  this  meeting,  also  a  lengthy  editorial. 
Citizens  pledged  the  required  amount.  The  Forum  of  December 
3d  mentions,  in  a  sketch  of  the  city,  that  the  trustees  of  Beloit 
college  have  located  the  seminary  at  Rockford.  A  charter  was 
granted  February  25,  1847,  to  the  following  gentlemen  as 
incorporators :  Aratus  Kent,  D.  Clary,  S.  Peet,  F.  Bascom,  C. 
Waterbury,  S.  D.  Stevens,  A.  L.  Chapin,  R.  M.  Pearson,  G.  W. 
Wilcox,  A.  Raymond,  C.  M.Goodsell,  E.  H.  Potter,  L.G.  Fisher, 
Wait  Talcott,  Charles  S.  Hempstead  and  Samuel  Hinman.  These 
same  gentlemen  were  the  incorporators  of  Beloit  college.  The 
board  of  trustees  was  to  consist  of  sixteen  members,  with  power 
to  increase  the  number  to  twenty-four.  But  disasters  affecting 
the  business  interests  of  the  village  prevented  the  fulfillment  of 
the  pledges  which  had  been  made,  and  delayed  the  enterprise 
for  a  time;  but  it  was  never  abandoned. 

Meanwhile,  June  11, 1849,  Miss  Anna  P.  Sill  began  a  pre- 
paratory school,  under  the  name  of  the  Rockford  Female  Semi- 
nary. The  recitations  were  held  in  the  old  court  house  building 
on  North  First  street.  Miss  Sill  came  to  Rockford  from  the 
east,  with  the  expectation  that  her  school  would  develop  into 
the  seminary  which  had  been  planned  by  the  trustees  of  Beloit. 
This  preparatory  school  was  not  the  seminary  proper,  but 
rather  its  forerunner,  and  entirely  under  local  management. 
Miss  Sill  was  assisted  by  the  Misses  Hannah  and  Eliza  Richards. 
The  number  of  pupils  the  first  term  was  seventy,  most  of  whom 
were  under  ten  years  of  age.  The  opening  of  this  school  appar- 
ently gave  an  impetus  to  the  consummation  of  the  former  plans 
for  a  seminary.  The  trustees  were  Rev.  L.  H.  Loss,  Jason  Marsh, 
Anson  S.  Miller,  C.  A.  Huntington,  S.  M.  Church,  Rev.  J.  C. 
Parks,  Bela  Shaw,  T.  D.  Robertson,  E.  H.  Potter,  Dr.  George 
Haskell,  Asa  Crosby.  The  academic  year  was  divided  into  four 
terms  of  eleven  weeks  each. 

In  1850  the  citizens  again  made  pledges  aggregating  more 
than  five  thousand  dollars  for  buildings,  and  theladies  pledged 
one  thousand  dollars  for  the  beautiful  grounds.  This  original 
subscription  list  is  still  in  existence,  though  eaten  away  in  places. 


290          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

It  was  found  among  the  papers  of  the  late  Charles  H.  Spafford. 
The  word  original  is  here  used  because  the  subscriptions  of 
1845-46  were  apparently  never  redeemed.  The  list  is  probably 
the  only  one  in  existence.  Thus  by  September,  18,  1850,  the 
seminary  proper  was  assured  as  a  permanent  institution  of 
Rockford,  for  the  higher  education  of  young  women. 

During  the  first  two  years  of  Miss  Sill's  residence  in  Rock- 
ford  she  continued  independently  her  preparatory  school.  But 
in  1851  the  school  was  formally  recognized  by  the  board  of 
trustees  of  Beloit  college  as  the  preparatory  department  of  Rock- 
ford  female  seminary,  under  the  charter  which  they  had  already 
obtained.  Full  preparatory  and  collegiate  courses  of  study 
were  defined,  and,  upon  examination,  fifteen  were  admitted  into 
the  first  collegiate  class  in  September  of  that  year.  The  year 
1851  is  thus  regarded  as  the  date  of  the  founding  of  the  semi- 
nary, according  to  the  original  design.  The  recitations  were 
conducted  in  the  old  court  house  building,  already  noted.  The 
seminary  had  been  granted  full  collegiate  powers  by  its  charter, 
but  it  was  called  a  seminary,  as  was  customary  for  such  insti- 
tutions at  that  time.  The  name  was  not  changed  to  Rockford 
college  until  1892.  Seven  of  this  first  class  of  1851  graduated 
in  1854.  Only  one,  Mrs.  William  Lathrop,  is  now  a  resident  of 
the  city.  The  course  then  covered  three  years,  and  was  later 
changed  to  four  years. 

The  present  seminary  grounds  were  purchased  from  Buell 
G.  Wheeler.  The  land  originally  extended  to  the  river,  but  a 
portion  was  taken  by  the  Chicago  &  Iowa  railroad.  The  prop- 
erty was  not  condemned,  as  the  trustees  preferred  to  sell  rather 
than  enter  into  any  controversy.  The  grounds  never  extended 
farther  east  or  north.  They  were  never  enlarged,  and  were 
reduced  only  on  the  west.  The  deed  to  this  property  was  also 
found  among  Mr.  Spafford's  papers,  and  apparently  had  never 
left  his  possession.  The  reason  therefor  may  be  explained.  Mr. 
Spafford  was  county  recorder  at  the  time;  he  was  also  a  trustee 
of  the  seminary,  and  the  treasurer  of  the  board.  The  document 
would  thus  naturally  remain  in  his  possession.  This  deed  and 
the  original  subscription  list,  previously  noted,  were  presented 
to  the  college  at  the  last  commencement  season  by  Mr.  Spaf- 
ford's family,  and  are  now  among  its  permanent  records.  The 
city  of  Rockford  owes  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  three  of  its  early 
citizens  for  the  very  existence  of  this  institution.  At  a  critical 
moment  in  the  formative  period,  Charles  H.  Spafford,  Eleazer 


SEPARATE  BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES.  291 

H.  Potter  and  Dr.  Lucius  Clark  mortgaged  their  homes  and 
raised  several  thousand  dollars  to  insure  the  success  of  the  sem- 
inary. This  self-sacrifice  by  these  gentleman,  who  had  faith  in 
the  future  of  Rockford,  and  who  appreciated  the  value  of  higher 
education,  has  never  been  properly  recognized,  for  the  apparent 
reason  that  their  course  has  not  been  generally  known. 

After  the  purchase  of  the  grounds  Mr.  Wheeler  said  they  were 
sold  for  much  Jess  than  their  real  value.  Mrs.  Wheeler  was 
deeply  interested  in  the  success  of  the  seminary ;  and  thus  the 
property  was  obtained  at  a  low  price.  Mr.  Spafford  also  pre- 
served a  transcript  of  an  itemized  estimate  of  the  cost  of  the 
first  building,  made  by  John  Beattie.  This  document  called  for 
an  outlay  of  seven  thousand  nine  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
dollars  and  thirty-five  cents. 

July  15, 1852,  the  corner-stone  of  the  first  building  was 
laid  by  Rev.  Aratus  Kent,  president  of  the  board  of  trustees. 
He  spoke  from  the  words:  "That  our  daughters  may  be  as 
corner-stones,  polished  after  the  similitude  of  a  palace." 

After  the  acceptance  by  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  finan- 
cial pledges  of  the  citizens  of  Rockford  in  1850,  it  was  deemed 
best  that  each  institution  should  manage  its  own  affairs.  A 
provisional  local  board  appears  to  have  been  created  at  this 
time ;  and  in  1852  the  seminary  passed  into  the  control  of  a 
separate  board  of  trustees.  The  principle  of  co-operation,  how- 
ever, continued  to  prevail,  and  certain  gentlemen  were  on  the 
official  boards  of  the  college  and  the  seminary.  In  the  lapse  of 
years  this  number  gradually  diminished,  until  now  Thomas  D. 
Robertson  is  the  only  one  connected  with  the  boards  of  the 
two  institutions.  The  first  formal  appointment  to  the  perma- 
nent faculty  of  the  seminary  was  made  in  July,  1852,  when 
Miss  Sill  was  elected  principal.  In  July,  1854,  the  collegiate 
course  was  divided  into  four  departments :  mental  and  moral 
philosophy;  mathematics  and  natural  science;  history  and 
English  literature;  ancient  languages.  The  department  of 
mental  and  moral  philosophy  was  assigned  to  the  principal.  Miss 
Mary  White  was  chosen  teacher  in  mathematics  and  natural 
science. 

In  1854  work  was  begun  on  Linden  hall,  the  western  wing. 
It  received  its  name  from  the  residence  of  one  of  its  New  En- 
gland friends.  From  this  place  and  from  New  York  the  larger 
part  of  the  fund  was  obtained  for  its  construction.  In  the 
fifties  Miss  Sill  raised  a  large  sum  of  money  among  her  eastern 


292         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

friends,  especially  in  Boston,  for  the  seminary,  apparently  to 
raise  a  deficit.  Up  to  September  8, 1854,  Miss  Sill  had  secured 
in  subscriptions  the  sum  of  three  thousand  six  hundred  and 
fifty-nine  dollars  and  sixty-seven  cents.  This  fact  appears  from 
a  financial  statement  made  by  Charles  H.  Spafford.  According 
to  the  Rockford  Democrat  of  August  1, 1854,  Mr.  Mil  wain  was 
the  architect  of  Linden  hall,  and  the  plans  and  specifications 
called  for  an  addition  forty-one  by  sixty-four  feet,  and  four 
stories.  Linden  hall  was  first  separate  from  Middle  hall,  and 
then  connected  by  a  frame  passage-way. 

In  1866  a  second  addition,  Chapel  hall,  with  its  connecting 
corridors,  was  begun,  and  completed  two  years  later.  In  1871 
Linden  hall  and  Middle  Hall  were  connected  by  a  corridor. 

Of  the  first  collegiate  class  admitted  in  1851,  seven  were 
graduated  in  1854,  eight  in  1855,  sixteen  in  1856,  ten  in  1857, 
eleven  in  1858,  ten  in  1859,  eleven  in  1860,  and  nine  in  1861 ; 
a  total  of  eighty-two  in  eight  years.  There  were  then  three 
departments:  collegiate,  normal  and  academic.  During  that 
time  there  were  eighty-five  others  who  entered  the  seminary, 
but  did  not  complete  the  course.  Forty-one  were  in  the  junior 
class  in  1861.  The  whole  number  who  shared  in  the  instruction 
of  the  collegiate  course  during  the  first  ten  years  was  two  hun- 
dred and  six.  One  hundred  and  eighty-three  had  received 
instruction  in  the  normal  course;  and  the  whole  number  of 
pupils  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time  connected  with  the  institu- 
tion, including  the  preparatory  courses,  from  the  beginning  in 
1849,  to  July,  1861,  was  fifteen  hundred  and  thirty.  During 
this  time  there  was  contributed  to  the  seminary  from  all  sources 
the  sum  of  thirty-nine  thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
dollars. 

The  influence  of  this  seminary  and  later  college  upon  the 
intellectual,  social  and  moral  life  of  Rockford  may  be  recognized 
and  appreciated  ;  but  it  can  never  be  fully  estimated.  The  city 
does  not  contain  a  more  enduring  monument  to  the  wisdom  of 
its  founders. 

Many  godly  men  and  women  have  labored  for  the  success 
of  this  Christian  college ;  and  those  of  a  later  day  have  reaped 
the  harvest.  This  chapter  would  be  incomplete  without  a  more 
specific  reference  to  Miss  Anna  P.  Sill  and  Rev.  Aratus  Kent. 

Anna  Peck  Sill  was  born  in  Burlington,  Otsego  county,  New 
York,  August  9,  1816.  She  was  the  youngest  of  ten  children, 


MISS  SILL'S  EARLY  LIFE.  293 

and  inherited  the  intellectual  and  moral  qualities  of  a  long  line 
of  Puritan  ancestry.  Her  father,  Abel  Sill,  was  a  farmer,  who 
died  in  1824,  in  his  fiftieth  year,  when  Anna  was  seven  years  of 
age.  Her  mother  was  the  eldest  daughter  of  Judge  Jedediah 
Peck,  who,  it  is  said,  was  the  first  in  New  York  to  urge  legisla- 
tive action  for  the  establishment  of  common  schools,  and  the 
abolition  of  imprisonment  for  debt.  In  1831  Miss  Anna  made 
a  public  profession  of  religion.  In  the  autumn  of  1836  she 
taught  a  district  school  in  the  neighborhood  of  Albion.  About 
six  weeks  of  this  time,  during  the  vacation  season,  she  attended 
a  school  at  Albion,  and  in  November,  1837,  she  entered  Miss 
Phipps'  Union  seminary,  one  of  the  first  female  institutions  of 
the  state,  as  a  regular  student.  One  year  later  she  became  a 
teacher,  and  probably  continued  her  studies  at  the  same  time. 
Here  she  remained  five  years,  until  July,  1843.  During  her  last 
year  at  Albion  she  wrestled  with  the  problem  of  her  life-work. 
She  had  a  holy  enthusiasm  for  humanity;  but  a  thick  veil, 
which  faith  and  prayer  alone  could  rend,  obscured  her  path 
of  duty.  She  was  inclined  toward  the  foreign  missionary  field, 
if  she  could  be  accounted  worthy  of  such  honor.  To  her  pastor 
she  writes:  "I  have  hardly  dared  to  ask  my  Heavenly  Father 
so  great  a  privilege,  but  have  prayed  that  at  least  I  might  be 
permitted  after  death  to  go  as  a  ministering  spirit  and  whis- 
per sweet  words  of  peace  to  some  poor  heathen  soul."  When 
an  opportunity  came  for  her  to  go  to  India,  however,  she  had 
become  convinced  that  her  mission  was,  in  part,  to  prepare 
others  for  the  field. 

After  some  time  Miss  Sill's  thoughts  were  turned  from 
Albion  toward  the  west  as  afield  of  missionary  and  educational 
labor.  She  corresponded  with  Rev.  Hiram  Foobe,  who  was  then 
at  Racine,  Wisconsin,  with  whom  she  had  some  acquaintance. 
The  reply  was  not  favorable,  and  Miss  Sill  opened  a  seminary 
for  y©ung  ladies  at  Warsaw,  October  2, 1843.  This  was  the  first 
seminary  entirely  under  her  control.  She  remained  there  until 
March,.  1846.  In  the  following  August  she  was  invited  by  the 
trustees  of  the  Gary  collegiate  institute,  in  Oakfield,  Genesee 
county,  to  take  charge  of  the  ladies'  department.  This  invita- 
tion was  accepted,  and  she  taught  there  until  the  spring  of 
1849.  At  this  time  the  location  of  a  seminary  at  Rockford  was 
again  under  consideration.  Friends  of  theenterprise  had  heard 
of  her  success  as  a  teacher.  Among  these  was  Rev.  L.  H.  Loss, 
then  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  church.  He  invited  her 


294          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

to  come  to  Rockford  and  opeii  a  school  for  young  ladies  as  pre- 
paratory to  the  prospective  seminary.  Miss  Sill  accepted  the 
invitation,  and  arrived  in  Rockford  May  24, 1849. 

Miss  Sill  and  the  seminary  are  thenceforth  so  vitally  related 
that  the  life-story  of  one  is  the  history  of  the  other.  In  the 
summer  of  1884,  after  thirty-five  years  of  successful  leadership, 
Miss  Sill  resigned,  and  retired  to  the  more  quiet  but  not  less 
honored  position  of  principal  emerita..  She  accepted  the  situ- 
ation as  for  the  best  interest  of  the  seminary,  with  Christian 
fortitude.  She  who  had  been  the  directing  force  for  so  many 
years,  must  thenceforth  live  outside  the  circle,  a  passive  specta- 
tor of  the  young  and  progressive  life.  This  was  perhaps  the 
severest  trial  of  her  life. 

Miss  Sill  lived  five  years  after  her  retirement  from  active 
life.  She  died  at  her  room  in  the  seminary,  June  18, 1889.  The 
funeral  was  held  in  the  chapel  on  the  20th.  The  introductory 
services  were  conducted  by  the  Rev.  Walter  M.  Barrows,  pastor 
of  the  Second  Congregational  church.  The  funeral  discourse 
was  preached  by  her  former  pastor,  Rev.  Henry  M.  Goodwin, 
D.  D.  Prayer  was  offered  by  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Leete. 

Anna  P.  Sill  lived  a  life  of  en  tire  consecration.  Self  was  laid 
on  the  altar  of  sacrifice,  that  it  might  be  wholly  consumed  in 
the  holy  flame.  When  the  path  of  duty  became  clear,  she  threw 
the  enthusiasm  of  her  strong  and  generous  nature  into  the 
founding  of  a  school  for  the  Christian  education  of  young 
women.  Its  honorable  history  shows  that  her  faith  was  not 
delusion  nor  mere  enthusiasm ;  but  that  there  was  a  providen- 
tial guidance  of  her  way,  and  a  divinely-ordered  connection 
between  the  work  and  the  instrument.  At  the  alumnae  reunion 
immediately  after  her  death,  Mrs.  Marie  T.  Perry  paid  her  this 
noble  tribute :  "With  her  wondrous  endowment  of  head  and 
heart,  and  an  indomitable  will,  she  set  up  her  standard  in  the 
wilderness,  and  with  a  courage  that  knew  no  faltering,  a  vigil- 
ance that  was  ceaseless,  patiently,  hopefully  prayerfully, 
wrought  out  the  dream  of  her  life — the  school  of  her  love.  .  . 
Her  power  over  her  pupils  was  rare  and  marvelous.  Day  after 
day,  by  word,  look  and  act,  she  forged  the  unseen  chain  that 
at  last  she  riveted  around  them.  The  impatience  of  youth  might 
seek  to  shake  it  off  and  break  it ;  the  pleasures  of  life  and  the 
dictum  of  the  world  might  strive  to  undo  its  fastenings,  but 
sooner  or  later,  disloyal  legions  would  wheel  into  line  and  do 
valiant  service  in  the  cause  of  truth  and  right."  Emerson 


ARATUS  KENT'S  GREAT  WORK.  295 

observes  that  there  is  nothing  so  great  as  a  great  soul ;  and  it 
may  be  said  that  upon  the  thousands  who  came  under  her 
benign  influence,  "light  from  her  celestial  garments  streams." 

Kev.  Aratus  Kent  was  born  January  15,  1794.  He  was  a 
son  of  John  Kent,  a  merchant  of  Suffield,  Connecticut,  and  a 
brother  of  Germanicus  Kent,  the  first  settler  of  Rockford.  They 
belonged  to  the  family  from  which  came  the  famous  Chancellor 
Kent,  of  New  York.  Mr.  Kent  was  fitted  for  college  at  West- 
field  academy.  At  nineteen  years  of  age  he  entered  the  sopho- 
more class  at  Yale.  He  united  with  the  church  under  President 
Dwight,  August  15,  1815.  Mr.  Kent  graduated  from  Yale  in 
1816,  and  then  spent  four  years  in  theological  studies  in  New 
York.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  presbytery  of  New 
York  April  20,  1820.  From  November  21,  1822,  until  April 
11, 1823,  he  was  a  student  at  Princeton  theological  seminary. 
He  was  ordained  January  26, 1825,  at  Lockport,  New  York. 

Mr.  Kent  subsequently  applied  to  the  American  Home  Mis- 
sionary Board  "for  a  place  so  hard  that  no  one  else  would  take 
it."  He  was  sent  to  Galena,  Illinois,  then  a  mining  city,  where  he 
immediately  began  his  labors.  His  first  years  in  the  west  were 
spent  in  home  missionary  work.  October  23,  1831,  he  organ- 
ized the  First  Presbyterian  church  at  Galena.  His  three  chil- 
dren died  in  infancy ;  one  in  1837,  another  in  1838,  and  a  third 
in  1840.  Mrs.  E.  P.  Thomas,  of  Rockford,  is  an  adopted  daugh- 
ter. Mr.  Kent  was  a  leader  in  the  founding  of  Beloit  college 
and  Rockford  seminary,  and  out  of  a  meagre  salary  he  contrib- 
uted to  Christian  education.  Mr.  Kent  died  November  8, 1869, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  He  was  honored  in  life,  and  his 
memory  is  held  in  reverence. 

Around  Mr.  Kent  was  a  senate  of  men  like  unto  him.  Eight 
of  the  sixteen  incorporators  were  clergymen.  Rev.  Stephen 
Peet,  father  of  the  churches  in  Wisconsin,  died  in  1855 ;  yet  that 
brief  remnant  of  his  life  enabled  him  to  add  the  founding  of 
Chicago  theological  seminary,  as  the  completion  of  what  he 
had  done  in  aiding  the  building  of  the  churches,  and  of  Beloit 
college  and  the  seminary.  Rev.  Dexter  Clary,  another  incorpo- 
rator  of  the  two  institutions,  died  June  18,  1874.  Charles  M. 
Goodsell,  of  Geneva,  Wisconsin,  became  one  of  the  founders  of 
Carl  ton  college,  at  Northfield,  Minnesota. 


CHAPTER  LVII. 

STATE  AND  LOCAL  SCHOOL  FUNDS. — EARLY  ROCKFORD  SCHOOLS. 

THE  public  school  system  of  Rockford  had  its  beginning  in 
national  and  state  legislation.  The  foundations  of  the 
system  were  laid  more  that  a  century  ago,  about  four  years 
before  the  United  States  entered  upon  national  life  under  the 
constitution.  May  20,  1785,  an  ordinance  was  passed  by  con- 
gress, then  assembled  in  New  York,  for  a  system  of  rectangular 
surveys  of  the  lands  in  the  "western  territory,"  and  it  was 
therein  provided  "that  there  shall  be  reserved  the  lot  num- 
ber sixteen  of  every  township  for  the  maintenance  of  public 
schools  within  the  township."  The  territory  thus  designated 
was  the  Northwest  Territory,  from  which  Illinois  was  created. 
The  Ordinance  of  1787,  for  the  government  of  the  North- 
west Territory,  provided  that  "religion,  morality  and  knowledge 
.  .  shall  forever  be  encouraged."  Thus  early  was  recognized 
the  value  of  popular  education.  The  next  step  was  in  1818, 
when  Illinois  sought  admission  into  the  union.  In  April  of  that 
year  congress  passed  an  act  enabling  the  people  of  the  territory 
of  Illinois  to  organize  a  state.  Certain  propositions  were  therein 
made  to  the  convention  of  the  territory,  which,  if  accepted, 
would  be  binding  upon  the  state  and  the  federal  government. 
Three  of  these  referred  to  education.  First,  that  section  number 
sixteen  or  its  equivalent  in  every  congressional  township  shall 
be  granted  to  the  state,  for  the  use  of  schools  in  such  township. 
Second,  that  three  per  cent,  of  the  net  proceeds  from  the 
sales  of  all  the  public  lands  in  the  state  shall  be  given  to 
the  state  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  of  which  one-sixth 
part  shall  be  exclusively  bestowed  on  a  college  or  university. 
Third,  that  two  entire  townships  in  the  state,  to  be  designated 
by  the  president  of  the  United  States,  shall  be  reserved  for  the 
use  of  a  seminary. 

These  propositions  were  accepted  by  an  ordinance  adopted 
at  Kaskaskia,  August  26, 1818.  December  3d  following,  con- 
gress approved  the  constitution.  Thus  Illinois  came  into  the 


FIRST  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  LAW.  297 

union  with  theese  valuable  grants  of  land  for  the  maintenance 
of  education. 

By  the  term  "early  schools"  is  meant  those  schools  which 
were  maintained  under  various  laws  of  the  state  prior  to  1855. 
The  first  public  school  law  was  passed  in  1825,  seven  years  after 
Illinois  became  a  state.  Common  schools  were  established  free 
to  white  citizens  between  the  ages  of  five  and  twenty-one.  Dis- 
tricts containing  not  less  than  fifteen  families  could  be  formed 
by  the  county  courts,  upon  petition  of  a  majority  of  the  voters 
thereof.  Voters  were  authorized  at  the  annual  meeting  to  levy 
a  tax  in  money  or  merchantable  produce,  at  its  cash  value,  not 
exceeding  one-half  of  one  per  cent.,  subject  to  a  maximum  lim- 
itation of  ten  dollars  to  any  one  person.  The  state  also  appro- 
priated two  dollars  out  of  every  one  hundred  dollars  received 
into  the  treasury,  and  disbursed  the  interest  on  the  school  fund 
proper  among  the  several  counties ;  and  these  sums  were  dis- 
tributed by  the  counties  among  the  respective  districts. 

This  law  was  bitterly  opposed,  and  in  1827  it  was  amended 
so  as  to  be  virtually  nullified,  by  providing  that  no  person  should 
be  taxed  for  the  maintenance  of  schools,  unless  his  consent  was 
first  obtained  in  writing.  The  state  appropriation  of  two  dol- 
lars out  of  every  one  hundred  dollars  received  into  the  treasury, 
was  also  withdrawn. 

.  The  school  laws  were  revised  at  nearly  every  session  of  the 
legislature.  These  were  all  radically  defective  in  that  the  state 
did  not  impose  a  tax,  but  made  it  discretionary  with  the  dis- 
tricts whether  such  tax  should  be  levied.  The  law  of  1845  made 
it  optional  with  districts  whether  they  would  levy  a  tax.  The 
maximum  was  fifteen  cents  on  the  one  hundred  dollars.  Many 
important  changes  were  made.  By  this  act  it  was  provided 
that  on  the  first  Monday  in  August,  and  biennially  thereafter, 
there  should  be  elected  a  school  commissioner  in  each  county. 
The  law  of  1849  limited  the  local  tax  to  twenty-five  cents  per 
one  hundred  dollars.  The  statute  of  1851  provided  that  a 
majority  of  legal  voters  could  levy  a  tax  not  exceeding  one 
dollar  on  every  hundred  dollars,  for  building  and  repairing 
schoolhouses. 

The  school  fund  proper  of  the  state  consists  of  three  per 
cent,  of  the  net  proceeds  of  the  sales  of  the  public  lands  in  the 
state,  one-sixth  part  excepted.  This  is  known  as  the  three  per 
cent,  fund,  or  school  fund  proper.  Under  an  act  of  February  6, 
1835,  this  fund  was  loaned  to  the  state  at  six  per  cent,  interest. 


298          HISTORY  Of  ROCKFORD  AND  WlNNEBAGO  COttNTY. 

The  interest  on  this  fund  constitutes  one  of  the  sources  from 
which  the  common  school  fund  of  the  state  is  derived.  The 
principal  of  this  fund  is  now  $613,362.96. 

The  college  fund  consists  of  one-sixth  of  three  per  cent,  of 
the  proceeds  of  the  sales  of  public  lands  in  the  state.  This  fund 
was  also  loaned  the  state  in  1835.  In  the  same  year  it  was 
provided  that  the  interest  on  this  fund  should  be  annually 
loaned  to  the  school  fund,  for  distribution  with  other  funds, 
among  the  several  counties  in  the  state.  February  18, 1857, 
the  interest  on  this  fund,  less  one-fourth  of  one  per  cent.,  was 
set  apart  to  the  maintenance  of  the  state  normal  university. 
The  principal  of  this  fund  is  $156,613.32. 

The  seminary  fund  is  derived  from  the  proceeds  of  the  sale 
of  "seminary  lands,"  which  consist  of  two  townships  given  the 
state  by  the  general  government,  for  the  founding  and  support 
of  a  state  seminary.  This  fund  was  also  loaned  the  state  in 
1835.  In  the  same'year  it  was  provided  that  the  interest  on 
this  fund  should  be  annually  loaned  to  the  state  school  fund. 
In  1857  the  interest  on  this  fund,  less  one-fourth  of  one  percent., 
was  devoted  to  the  maintenance  of  the  normal  university.  The 
principal  of  this  fund  is  $59,838.72. 

The  surplus  revenue  fund  was  created  by  congress  in  1836, 
by  an  act  which  deposited  with  the  states,  in  proportion  to 
their  representation  in  congress,  the  money  that  had  accumu- 
lated in  the  national  treasury,  mainly  from  the  sale  of  public 
lands.  Prior  to  this  act  an  unsuccessful  effort  had  been  made 
to  distribute  this  money  among  the  states  as  a  gift  from  the 
nation.  The  objections  to  this  plan  were  overcome  by  deposit- 
ing the  money  with  the  states,  subject  to  return  upon  call  of 
congress.  About  twenty-eight  million  dollars  were  distributed 
among  the  states  in  this  way,  and  none  of  it  has  ever  been 
called  for.  Illinois  received  $477,919.24.  A  portion  of  this 
amount  was  expended  in  internal  improvements,  and  the  bal- 
ance, $335,592.32,  was  by  an  act  of  the  legislature  of  March 
4,  1837,  made  a  part  of  the  common  school  fund  of  the  state, 
and  loaned  to  the  state  at  six  per  cent. 

The  most  munificent  donation  from  congress  was  the  six- 
teenth section  of  every  congressional  township.  This  amounted 
to  nine  hundred  and  ninety-eight  thousand  four  hundred  and 
forty-eight  and  eighty-nine-hundredths  acres.  It  has  been  said 
that  if  these  lands  had  been  properly  cared  for,  they  would  have 
given  the  people  such  an  ample  public  school  fund  as  would 


SWAMP  LAND  FUND.  299 


have  saved  them  from  local  taxation.  The  local  sale  of  these 
lands  and  the  handling  of  such  funds  were  delegated  to  township 
trustees  by  the  law  of  the  state.  The  principal  of  this  fund 
varies  in  different  townships,  from  less  than  one  hundred  dol- 
lars to  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Unfortu- 
nately, most  of  these  lands  were  sold  at  an  early  day,  when  the 
people  were  poor  and  prices  low.  Some  township  trustees  were 
wiser,  and  held  them  for  higher  prices.  The  Chicago  Tribune 
building  and  McVicker's  theatre  are  built  on  school  lands,  still 
owned  by  the  township,  and  pay  an  enormous  rental.  The 
township  fund  of  the  state  in  1898,  including  a  conservative  esti- 
mate of  the  value  of  unsold  lands,  aggregated  $15,479,457.42. 
The  principal  of  the  township  school  fund  of  Rockford  is  $4,000. 

A  local  school  fund  is  derived  from  fines  and  forfeitures.  In 
1853  the  fines  collected  and  criminal  forfeitures  on  bail  were 
added  to  the  school  fund.  The  present  law  provides  that  all 
fines,  penalties  and  forfeitures  which  may  be  imposed  in  any  of 
the  courts  of  record,  and  before  any  justice  of  the  peace,  except 
those  incurred  for  violation  of  the  ordinances  of  incorporated 
cities  and  towns,  shall  be  paid  to  the  county  superintendent  of 
schools,  and  the  same  shall  be  distributed  annually  by  him,  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  common  school  funds  of  the  state  are 
distributed. 

September  28, 1850,  congress  granted  to  the  states  of  the 
union,  all  overflowed  and  swamp  lands,  thereby  made  unfit  for 
cultivation,  within  their  respective  limits.  These  lands  were 
subject  to  the  disposal  of  the  legislature,  provided  that  so  much 
of  the  proceeds  of  such  sales  as  may  be  necessary  shall  be 
devoted  to  reclaiming  the  same  by  levees  and  drains.  By  an 
act  of  the  legislature,  June  22,  .1852,  these  lands  were  granted 
to  the  counties  in  which  they  were  respectively  located,  upon 
similar  terms  upon  which  the  state  had  received  them,  for  edu- 
cational or  other  purposes,  at  their  discretion.  January  15, 
1855,  the  state  auditor  of  public  accounts  certified  that  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  one  and  nine-tenths  acres  was 
the  total  amount  of  such  lands  in  Winnebago  county.  In 
March,  1855,  the  board  of  supervisors  appointed  Duncan  Fer- 
guson, Milton  Kilburn  and  Edmund  Oviatt  a  committee  to 
examine  these  lands,  and  report.  These  swamp  lands  were 
located  in  townships  twenty-eight,  twenty-nine  and  forty- three. 
Many  of  them  were  near  the  village  of  Winnebago.  These  lands 
were  first  sold  by  C.  A.  Huntingdon,  the  school  commissioner, 


300         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

at  high  prices,  arid  during  prosperous  times.  Little  cash  was 
paid,  and  the  purchasers  gave  mortgages  for  the  balance. 
Values  declined,  and  the  purchasers  could  not  redeem  their 
property.  Thereupon  the  supervisors  ordered  them  resold, 
which  was  done  by  H.  H.  Waldo,  who  succeeded  Mr.  Hunting- 
ton  as  school  commissioner,  for  about  what  they  were  actually 
worth. 

Through  some  obscurity  in  the  statutes  of  1852  and  1854 
upon  the  subject,  there  was  prolonged  litigation  as  to  whether 
the  proceeds  should  constitute  a  county  fund,  or  be  distributed 
among  the  townships.  The  money  finally  passed  into  the  con- 
trol of  the  superintendent  as  a.  county  fund.  The  principal  of 
this  fund  in  Winnebago  county  is  $5,980.06. 

By  way  of  recapitulation  it  may  be  said  the  principal  state 
and  local  funds  for  the  support  of  higher  and  common  school 
education  are  now  as  follows:  Direct  state  taxation,  direct  local 
taxation,  school  fund  proper,  college  fund,  seminary  fund,  sur- 
plus revenue  fund,  township  fund,  fines  and  forfeitures,  and  the 
swamp  land  fund. 

The  cause  of  popular  education  languished  for  eighteen 
years  from  the  passage  of  the  first  law  in  1825.  In  1844  a  com- 
mon school  convention  was  held  in  Peoria,  which  earnestly 
pleaded  among  other  things,  for  a  state  superintendent  of  pub- 
lic instruction.  The  legislature,  at  the  session  of  1844-45, 
yielded  in  some  measure  to  the  force  of  this  reasoning.  By  an 
act  of  1845,  the  secretary  of  state  was  made  ex  officio  state 
superintendent  of  public  instruction.  In  reference  to  local  tax- 
ation it  was  required  that  a  two-thirds  legal  vote  of  any  dis- 
trict should  concur  in  ordering  the  tax.  The  large  property- 
holders,  especially  those  who  had  no  children,  often  threw  their 
influence  against  a  local  tax  levy,  and  the  school  revenue  was 
consequently  small.  Many  of  the  features  of  the  school  law  of 
1845  were  incorporated  into  the  law  of  1855. 

The  first  school  in  Winnebago  county  was  taught  by  Miss 
Eunice  Brown,  who  afterward  became  Mrs.  J.  G.  Lyon.  This 
school  was  on  the  site  of  110  South  Second  street,  in  the  rear 
of  what  is  known  as  the  John  Early  residence,  and  taught  in  a 
log  house.  This  was  about  July,  1837.  In  the  spring  of  1838 
Miss  Brown  taught  on  the  West  side,  in  a  building  on  what  is 
now  the  court  house  square.  Mrs.  Lyon  died  at  her  home  in 
Rockton  December  7,  1889. 


ROSTER  OF  EARLY  TEACHERS.  301 

In  1837  Miss  Frances  Bradford  taught  school  in  a  log  cabin 
which  belonged  to  William  E.  Dunbar.  In  1869  the  late 
Mrs.  John  H.  Thurston  prepared  a  list  of  early  Rockford 
schools,  which,  with  some  amplification,  is  substantially  repro- 
duced. Israel  Morrill  and  Miss  Sarah  E.  Danforth  taught  in 
1838  on  the  West  side;  Miss  Wood,  in  1839,  on  the  West 
side;  James  M.  Wight,  in  the  winter  of  1838-39,  in  the 
building  on  the  corner  of  Madison  and  Market  streets,  on 
the  site  of  the  American  House ;  Miss  Hyde,  in  1839,  in  the 
same  place;  Andrus  Corbin,  in  1839,  in  a  house  owned  by  him- 
self on  the  West  side;  Mr.  Jackson,  in  the  winter  of  1839-40, 
in  the  house  on  the  corner  of  Madison  and  Market  streets ;  Miss 
Hepsabeth  Hutchinson  and  Miss  Maria  Baker,  in  1840,  on  the 
East  side;  Mrs.  Mary  Jackson,  in  1838-39,  on  the  West  side; 
Miss  Wealthy  Bradford,  in  1841-42,  on  the  West  side;  Lewis 
S.  Sweezy,  in  1841-42,  in  the  brick  schoolhouse  on  the  southeast 
corner  of  the  public  square,  East  side;  Miss  Harriet  Barnum, 
in  1841,  in  a  private  house,  East  side;  Miss  Minerva  C.Fletcher, 
in  1842,  in  a  log  house  that  stood  opposite  the  First  Congre- 
gational church,  East  side ;  Elijah  Holt,  in  1841-42,  in  the  brick 
schoolhouse,  East  side;  John  Paul,  in  1841,  in  the  first  house 
south  of  the  railroad,  Main  street,  West  side;  Lewis  B.  Gregory, 
in  the  brick  schoolhouse,  East  side,  1843-44;  Miss  Fronia 
Foote  and  George  Waterman,  in  1843-44;  Miss  Julia  Barnum, 
in  1844,  in  private  house,  East  side;  Miss  Adaline  Warren,  pri- 
vate house,  East  side;  Miss  Augusta  Kemfield,  in  1845,  East 
side;  C.  A.  Huntington,  from  1845  to  1849,  in  the  old  court 
house  on  North  First  street,  and  on  the  West  side ;  Miss  Elizabeth 
Weldon  was  assistant  to  Mr.  Huntington ;  H.  H.  Waldo,  in  1848, 
in  Baptist  church,  West  side;  D.  W.Ticknor,from  1846  to  1849, 
in  the  brick  schoolhouse,  East  side,  assisted  in  turn  by  Miss 
Elizabeth  Weldon,  Anson  Barnum,  John  W.  Andrews,  and  D. 
Dubois;  H.  H.  Waldo,  in  1849-50,.Miss Hannah  Morrill,  1848, 
East  side;  Robert  A.  Sanford,  1848,  West  side. 

In  1850  Mr.  Bowles  taught  in  the  brick  schoolhouse  on  the 
East  side;  Mrs.  Squires,  in  1850,  on  what  is  now  111  Madison 
street,  East  side,  and  afterward  on  West  side;  Mrs.  King  H. 
Milliken,  in  1850,  East  side;  Miss  Mary  Dow,  Miss  Delia  Hyde, 
and  George  E.  Kimball,  1850-53,  in  the  basement  of  the  pres- 
ent First  Baptist  church  building,  West  side;  Miss  Sarah  A. 
Stewart  and  Miss  Mary  Joslin,  in  1850,  in  a  building  where  the 
Masonic  Temple  now  stands ;  Seely  Perry,  in  the  basement  of 


302          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBA6O  COUNTY. 

the  First  Methodist  church,  on  Second  street ;  B.  Rush  Catlin, 
in  1852,  in  basement  of  First  Methodist  church ;  Misses  Char- 
lotte and  Harriet  Leonard,  in  1851-52;  Miss  Stowell  and  T. 
J.  L.  Remington,  in  1851,  in  the  brick  schoolhouse,  West  side; 
Rev.  C.  Reighley,  in  1852,  on  the  East  side ;  Miss  Fanny  Avery, 
in  1852,  on  the  East  side;  Mr.  Stevens,  in  1853,  in  the  brick 
school  house,  East  side ;  Miss  Lizzie  Fern,  in  1853,  on  the  East 
side;  Mrs.  Carpenter,  in  1853,  West  side;  Rev.  L.  Porter,  in 
1852;  Mr.  Stowell,  in  1853;  Rev.  Addison  Brown  and  Miss 
Frances  A.  Brown,  on  the  West  side;  Miss  Julia  Galloway,  in 
1854,  in  the  lobby  of  the  First  Congregational  church,  East 
side;  Darwin  Dubois,  in  1854,  in  First  Methodist  church;  Mrs. 
Julia  and  Miss  Chapman,  in  1854,  on  West  side ;  Miss  Belle 
Burpee  and  Miss  Ethalinda  Thompson,  in  1855,  on  the  East 
side;  Halsey  G.  Clark,  in  1855,  in  old  court  house,  East  side, 
with  Miss  Lizzie  Giffen  as  assistant;  Miss  Emma  Brown,  in 
1857,  on  the  East  side;  Freeman,  in  basement  First  Bap- 
tist church,  West  side ;  Wesley  Sovereign,  in  First  Methodist 
church,  East  side ;  Mrs.  Jones,  on  West  side;  Miss  Elizabeth 
Fisher,  West  side;  Miss  Gunsolus,  East  side;  Mr.  Johnson  and 
Mr.  Gifford,  West  side. 

Nearly  all  of  these  schools  were  private.  The  teachers  were 
paid  mainly  by  the  parents.  The  teacher  made  out  his  own 
bills  and  collected  them.  There  was  then  no  regular  state  or  local 
tax,  and  the  only  public  school  money  was  derived  from  the 
interest  on  the  several  state  school  funds,  and  the  township 
fund  obtained  from  the  sale  of  the  sixteenth  section.  Private 
teachers,  who  conformed  to  certain  requirements  of  the  law, 
received  some  compensation  from  the  public  money,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  number  of  pupils  under  their  instruction. 

The  early  public  school  records  of  Rockford  township  have 
been  lost.  It  is  therefore  impossible  to  obtain  exact  information. 
There  appears,  however,  to  have  been  a  school  district,  with  a 
schoolhouse,  on  each  side  of  the  river.  The  East  side  public 
school  was  in  the  brick  building  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the 
public  square.  This  schoolhouse  was  erected  at  an  early  date, 
by  private  subscription.  L.  B.  Gregory  taught  there  soon  after 
his  arrival  in  Rockford.  His  examination  for  certificate  was  quite 
brief,  and  was  held  in  E.  H.  Potter's  store.  The  directors  were 
E.  H.  Potter,  William  E.  Dunbar,  Willard  Wheeler,  and  Dr.  A. 
M.  Catlin.  Mr.  Gregory  was  asked  to  spell  baker.  He  replied 
that  he  could  not;  but  the  certificate  was  granted. 


GROWTH  OF  PATERNALISM.  303 

In  the  classical  institute,  in  the  basement  of  the  First  Bap- 
tist church,  from  1855  to  1856,  of  which  H.  P.  Kimball  was 
principal,  one  class  pursued  the  regular  studies  of  the  freshman 
year  in  college,  and  entered  one  year  in  advance.  A  score  of 
students  left  this  institution  and  entered  eastern  colleges.  Two 
years'  study  was  considered  sufficient  to  advance  scholars 
through  a  full  preparatory  course  of  mathematics  and  the 
usual  books  in  Latin  and  Greek,  giving  them  a  sufficient  and 
thorough  preparation. 

Seely  Perry  taught  a  preparatory  school  for  young  men 
about  a  year  and  a  half,  in  the  First  Methodist  church.  At  this 
school  quite  a  number  of  students  prepared  for  college.  Among 
these  were  the  late  Dr.  Selwyn  Clark ;  Alexander  Kerr,  who  is 
now  emeritus  professor  of  Greek  in  the  University  of  Wisconsin ; 
Rev.  John  Edwards,  brother  of  Mrs.  Clemens.  On  account  of 
ill  health,  Mr.  Perry  turned  over  the  school  to  a  brother  of  Dr. 
E.  P.  Catlin. 

Besides  the  houses  used  for  schools  on  the  East  side  already 
noted,  were:  one  on  Kishwaukee  street,  near  bridge;  one  on 
lot  in  rear  of  engine  house  on  South  First  street;  one  on  South 
Madison  street.  Not  less  than  eight  buildings  were  used  for 
school  purposes  on  the  East  side.  -Asum  of  money  was  once 
raised  to  build  a  second  public  school  house  on  the  East  side; 
but  it  was  never  erected.  The  money  was  finally  paid  into  the 
municipal  treasury,  upon  the  order  of  the  city  council. 

John  A.  Holland  and  others  build  a  schoolhouse  for  private 
pupils,  on  South  West  street.  It  was  occupied  exclusively  by 
the  children  of  those  who  erected  it.  It  was  therefore  not  a 
large  school,  but  somewhat  exclusive.  The  contract  was  made 
with  Seely  Perry  for  furnishing  building  material. 

Another  schoolhouse  is  now  on  South  Main  street,  used  as 
a  blacksmith  shop,  near  Mrs.  Brett's  block.  The  Second  Congre- 
gational church  was  organized  in  this  building.  There  was  also 
a  small  schoolhouse  on  the  south  side  of  Green  street,  between 
Church  and  Court.  It  was  a  white  frame  building.  Abbie  Parker, 
a  sister  of  the  late  G.  W.  Parker,  taught  there  at  one  time. 

The  development  of  the  public  school  system  is  an  excellent 
illustration  of  the  growth  of  paternalism ;  first,  on  the  part  of 
the  general  government ;  and  second,  in  the  gradual  advance 
of  the  state  toward  the  present  standard.  In  a  strict  sense, 
the  free  school  system  was  founded  in  1855,  and  will  be  consid- 
ered in  a  later  chapter. 


CHAPTER  LVIII. 

ADOPTION  OF  TOWNSHIP  ORGANIZATION. 

THE  constitution  of  1848  provided  for  a  county  court,  as 
the  successor  of  the  county  commissioners'  court,  and 
authorized  the  legislature  to  enact  a  general  law,  providing  for 
township  organization,  under  which  counties  might  organize, 
by  a  majority  vote  of  the  people.  In  the  early  days  of  Illinois 
as  a  state,  southern  ideas  and  institutions  dominated  the  com- 
monwealth. The  commissioners' form  of  local  government  orig- 
inated in  this  country  with  the  Virginia  planters.  The  system 
of  township  organization  had  its  origin  in  New  England.  But 
the  root  of  this  form  of  local  government  may  be  traced  to  the 
districting  of  England  into  tithingsby  King  Alfred,  in  the  ninth 
century,  to  curb  the  widespread  social  disorders  which  dis- 
turbed his  realm.  The  change  under  the  second  constitution  of 
Illinois  was  due  to  the  influence  of  New  England  settlers  in  the 
northern  portion  of  the  state.  The  Illinois  township  system, 
however,  is  not  closely  modeled  after  that  of  the  New  England 
states. 

The  legislature,  by  two  acts  approved  February  12, 1849, 
supplemented  these  two  constitutional  provisions  by  the  neces- 
sary legislation.  The  first  created  a  county  court,  the  judges 
of  which  should  be  elected  on  the  Tuesday  after  the  first  Mon- 
day in  November,  1849,  and  quadrennially  thereafter,  and 
assume  their  duties  on  the  first  Monday  in  December  following. 
There  were  also  to  be  elected  at  the  same  times  and  places,  two 
associate  justices  of  the  peace,  who,  with  the  judge,  constituted 
the  county  court,  which  succeeded  the  county  commissioners' 
court. 

This  county  court  was  short-lived,  so  far  as  Winnebago 
county  was  concerned.  The  second  statute,  also  approved 
February  12, 1849,  provided  that  at  the  next  general  election 
in  November,  1849,  the  voters  in  any  county  might  vote  for  or 
against  township  organization.  Consequently,  at  the  same 
general  election  in  November,  1849,  the  voters  of  this  county 
elected  both  a  county  court  to  succeed  the  county  commission- 


SEPARATE  CLERK  FOR  COUNTY  BOARD.  305 

ers'  court;  and  voted  to  adopt  township  organization.  Section 
four  of  the  new  law  provided  that  if  the  voters  so  elected,  the 
township  organization  should  be  in  force  the  first  Tuesday  in 
April,  1850.  At  that  time  the  associate  justices  ceased  to  be 
members  of  the  county  court,  under  the  provision  of  section 
six  of  article  seven  of  the  new  constitution.  The  associate 
justices,  however,  were  elected  for  several  years  as  justices  of 
the  peace  for  the  county  at  large. 

It  may  seem,  at  first  thought,  that  two  such  laws  would 
not  have  been  passed  by  the  legislature,  as  the  second  might 
nullify  the  first.  But  it  will  be  observed  that  the  township 
organization  system  did  not  become  operative  unless  the  people 
so  voted ;  hence  there  was  a  possibility  that  they  would  not 
conflict. 

From  1849  to  1855  the  clerk  of  the  county  court  was  also 
clerk  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  under  section  eight  of  article 
sixteen  of  the  township  organization  law.  By  virtue  of  an  act 
of  February  9,  1855,  the  clerk  of  the  county  court  of  Winne- 
bago  county  ceased  to  be  ex  offieio  clerk  of  the  board  of  super- 
visors, after  the  first  Monday  of  the  following  April.  Under 
this  law  Duncan  Ferguson  was  appointed;  and  a  separate  clerk 
of  the  board  was  thereafter  biennially  appointed,  until  the  law 
was  repealed. 


CHAPTER  LIX. 

SECOND  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

THE  Second  Congregational  church  was  organized  in  the 
autumn  of  1849,  with  forty-seven  members.  Nearly  all  had 
taken  letters  from  the  First  church  under  date  of  October  18th. 
The  application  for  letters,  in  part,  was  as  follows :  "We,  whose 
names  are  underwritten,  .  .  believing  we  shall  be  serving 
the  cause  of  Christ  by  so  doing,  propose  to  form  ourselves,  in 
company  with  such  others  as  shall  desire  to  unite  with  us,  into 
a  Congregational  church  to  be  styled  the  Second  Congrega- 
tional church  of  Rockford."  Tradition  has  given  no  cause  for 
separation  from  the  parent  church,  other  than  the  one  assigned 
in  the  foregoing  declaration.  The  resolution  of  dismissal  rec- 
ognized the  right  of  every  person  to  be  governed  by  the  dictates 
of  his  own  conscience ;  still  it  was  the  sense  of  the  church  that 
this  action  was  "premature  and  uncalled  for."  A  vacant  church 
building  and  a  growing  population  on  the  West  side  seemed  to 
justify  a  separation;  and  time  has  fully  vindicated  its  wisdom. 
During  its  entire  history  Rockford  has  been  a  stronghold  of 
Congregationalism . 

The  first  meeting  preliminary  to  organization  was  held 
October  30, 1849,  at  the  schoolhouse  in  West  Rockford.  This 
building  is  still  standing  on  South  Main  street.  Rev.  Lansing 
Porter  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  Worcester  A.  Dickerman 
was  appointed  clerk.  A  committee  of  three  was  chosen  to  pre- 
sent at  a  future  meeting,  articles  of  faith,  covenant  and  rules 
of  government  for  the  proposed  church.  Benjamin  A.  Rose, 
Dexter  G.  Clark  and  Thomas  D.  Robertson  constituted  this 
committee.  It  was  resolved  that  the  public  organization  of 
the  church  should  take  place  November  14th ;  and  Samuel  J. 

Russell,  Worcester  A.  Dickerman  and  Robert  Clow  were  chosen 

^ 

to  make  the  necessary  arrangements. 

An  adjourned  meeting- was  held  November  7th.  A  resolu- 
tion was  adopted,  by  which  the  following  named  persons,  who 
were  then  present,  organized  the  church:  Robert  Clow,  Burton 
P.  Franklin,  Rachel  Franklin,  David  D.  Ailing,  Rebecca  Ailing, 
Alexander  Patterson,  Helen  Patterson,  Ellen  Patterson,  Jane 


ARTICLES  OF  FAITH.  307 


Gordon,  Thomas  D.  Robertson,  Goodyear  A.  Sanford,  Elizabeth 
H.  Sanford,  Worcester  A.  Dickerman,  Caroline  M.  Dickerman, 
Michael  Burns,  Deborah  Burns,  Samuel  J.  Russell,  Lucy  Rus- 
sell, Dexter  G.  Clark,  Benjamin  A.  Rose,  Antoinette  W.  Rose, 
Eliza  Hanford,  Rebecca  Spurr,  Harriette  W.  Platt,  Rial  K. 
Town,  Clarissa  Town,  Mary  Bond,  Emily  G.  Sanford,  Susan  G. 
Fuller,  Elizabeth  B.  Field,  Mary  A.  Frink,  Lemira  L.  Meyers, 
Lucy  C.  Hyde,  Sarah  D.  Hyde,  Esther  Ann  Hyde,  Henry  C. 
Hyde,  Gershom  C.  Hyde,  Alonzo  Gorham,  Hannah  L.  Gorham, 
Mercy  A.  Gorham,  Ann  Levings,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  C.  Porter,  Anor 
Woodruff,  Mrs.  Eliza  Woodruff,  James  Porter,  Ebeuezer  Hyde, 
Mrs.  Barbara  Porter. 

Thomas  D.  Robertson,  from  the  committee  appointed  at 
the  former  meeting,  presented  a  report  on  articles  of  faith, 
covenant,  and  rules  of  government.  This  report  was  accepted 
and  adopted.  The  articles  of  faith  were  thoroughly  orthodox, 
according  to  the  standard  of  the  time.  The  orthodoxy  of  today 
is  somewhat  elastic;  but  half  a  century  ago  the  term  stood  for 
a  clearly  defined  and  rigid  system  of  Christian  doctrine.  This 
Congregational  creed  consisted  of  nine  articles.  The  three  arti- 
cles relating  respectively  to  the  fall  of  man,  the  atonement  and 
eschatology  are  reproduced  in  full: 

ARTICLE  IV. — We  believe  that  our  first  parents  were  created 
holy;  that  they  fell  from  that  state  of  holiness  by  transgressing 
a  divine  command,  and  that  in  consequence  of  their  apostacy, 
all  men,  unless  redeemed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  enemies  of  God 
and  under  the  curse  of  the  divine  law. 

ARTICLE  V.— We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ,  our  Mediator,  is 
truly  God  and  truly  man,  and  by  his  sufferings  and  death  on 
the  cross,  he  atoned  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  so  that  the  offer 
of  salvation  is  sincerely  made  to  all  men,  and  all  who  repent 
and  believe  in  him  will  be  pardoned  and  saved. 

ARTICLE  IX. — We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  will  appear  at 
the  end  of  time  to  raise  the  dead,  and  judge  the  world ;  that  the 
righteous  will  be  received  into  life  eternal,  and  the  wicked  will 
go  away  into  everlasting  punishment. 

This  preliminary  organization  was  completed  by  the  elec- 
tion of  officers.  Rial  K.  Town  and  Alonzo  Gorham  were  chosen 
deacons;  Thomas  D.  Robertson,  clerk  and  treasurer ;  Benjamin 
A.  Rose  and  Samuel  J.  Russell,  prudential  committee;  Good- 
year A.  Sanford,  Worcester  A.  Dickerman  and  Dexter  G.  Clark, 
assessment  committee. 


308         HISTORY  Of  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

The  public  organization  of  this  church  occurred  Wednesday, 
November  14,  1849.  Previous  to  these  formal  exercises  Mrs. 
Sarah  J.  Clark,  Mrs.  E.  W.  Spaulding  and  Mrs.  Jane  C.  Hough- 
ton,  who  had  been  included  in  the  original  letter  of  dismission 
from  the  First  church,  but  were  not  present  at  the  first  meeting, 
were  received;  also  Mrs.  Mary  Haskelland  Miss  Eliza  Holmes. 

The  Congregational  council  was  composed  of  the  following 
gentlemen:  Rev.  Hutchins  Taylor,  moderator;  Rev.  Dexter 
Clary,  Beloit;  Rev.  Lewis  Benedict,  Rockton;  Rev.  R.  M.  Pear- 
son, Grand  DeTour ;  Rev.  Lansing  Porter,  Rockford ;  Horace 
Hobart,  delegate  from  Beloit.  Rev.  R.  M.  Pearson  was  chosen 
scribe  of  the' council ;  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  H.  Taylor; 
and  Rev.  L.  Benedict  preached  the  sermon.  The  covenant  and 
articles  of  faith  were  read  by  the  clerk,  and  publicly  approved 
by  the  church.  An  address  to  the  church  and  deacons  was 
delivered  by  Rev.  Dexter  Clary.  The  council  then  formally 
declared  the  Second  Congregational  church  of  Rockford  to  be 
duly  and  orderly  organized. 

November  18th  Asher  Miller,  who  had  been  included  in  the 
original  letter  of  dismission,  was  received,  upon  the  same. 
The  new  church  continued  to  receive  accessions  from  time  to 
time  from  the  older  society,  as  the  West  side  increased  in 
population. 

Since  the  mother  church  had  vacated  its  first  house  of  wor- 
ship on  the  corner  of  Church  and  Green  streets  for  the  new  brick 
structure  on  the  East  side,  the  former  had  been  unoccupied. 
The  Second  church  now  returned  to  the  house  which  many  of 
its  members  had  abandoned  less  than  four  years  previous. 
Messrs.  Kent  and  Brinckerhoff  had  failed  in  business,  and  the 
old  edifice  was  sold  by  their  assignee  to  the  Second  church.  It 
was  placed  on  a  rock  foundation  and  refitted  for  worship. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  new  church  was  Rev.  Lansing  Porter. 
This  gentleman  had  served  the  First  church  as  its  pastor  a 
little  more  than  two  years.  The  records  of  the  Second  church 
do  not  show  that  any  formal  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  Porter. 
But  he  assumed  this  position  as  soon  as  the  organization  had 
been  effected,  November  7, 1849,  and  served  four  years. 

Mr.  Porter  pursued  two  years  of  his  college  course  at  Ham- 
ilton, and  two  years  at  Wesleyan  college,  and  was  graduated 
from  the  latter  in  the  class  of  1839.  He  then  took  the  full  three 
years'  course  in  Yale  theological  seminary,  and  a  year  of  post- 
graduate work  at  Auburn  theological  seminary.  Mr.  Porter 


EXCOMMUMCATION  OF  BACKSLIDERS.  309 

went  to  Chicago  in  1843,  and  from  there  he  came  to  Rockford, 
when  he  was  less  than  thirty  years  of  age.  Mr.  Porter's  first 
pastorate  was  that  of  the  First  Congregational  church,  Rock- 
ford.  Mr.  Porter  is  now  living  at  Hamburg,  New  York. 

In  1851  the  church  was  found  to  be  too  small,  and  its 
capacity  was  increased  by  the  addition  of  forty  feet  to  its  length. 
Thus  improved,  it  continued  to  serve  its  purpose  for  seven 
years.  During  Rev.  Porter's  pastorate  the  church  was  blessed 
with  temporal  and  spiritual  prosperity.  A  high  standard  of 
Christian  living  was  maintained,  and  the  obstinate  backslider 
was  promptly  "excommunicated."  Two  examples  from  the 
records  of  1852  may  be  cited.  In  April  the  prudential  commit- 
tee reported  on  a  certain  case  "that  in  the  absence  of  all  evidence 
of  her  repentance  for  her  sin,  notwithstanding  repeated  labors 
with  her,  and  the  extension  of  her  suspension,  the  committee 
recommend  that  she  be  excommunicated.  Therefore  the  church 
recommend  that  she  be  excommunicated  from  this  church.'' 

A  few  months  later  this  resolution  was  adopted :  "Whereas, 

was  suspended  from  this  church  for   immoral  and 

unchristian  conduct,  for  the  term  of  six  months  from  January, 
and  whereas  he  has  given  no  satisfactory  evidence  of  repent- 
ance, therefore  resolved  that  he  be  and  hereby  is  excommuni- 
cated from  this  church."  In  this  day  the  word  "excommuni- 
cated" has  a  peculiarly  solemn  and  ecclesiastical  sound. 

On  one  occasion  there  was  quite  a  serious  discussion  over 
the  problem  whether  the  congregation  should  "face  the  music" 
during  that  part  of  the  service.  The  pulpit  was  in  front  of  the 
congregation,  and  the  choir  in  the  rear.  There  was  a  difference 
of  opinion  as  to  whether  the  congregation  should  face  the  min- 
ister during  the  singing,  or  turn  around  and  look  at  the  choir. 
It  sometimes  presented  a  ludicrous  appearance  when  the  occu- 
pants of  one  pew  would  rise  and  face  the  minister,  and  others 
in  front  might  be  turned  in  the  opposite  direction,  facing  the 
choir.  Finally  a  vote  was  taken,  and  by  a  small  majority 
it  was  decided  to  face  the  minister.  Every  one  accepted  the 
situation,  and  peace  prevailed.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dickerman  and 
G.  A.  Sanford  sang  in  the  choir. 

December  31, 1853,  Rev.  Porter  severed  his  pastoral  relation. 
At  a  meeting  held  December  16th  of  the  same  year,  it  was  voted 
to  extend  a  call  to  Rev.  Joseph  Emerson.  This  call  was 
accepted.  May  21, 1854,  a  Congregational  council  convened 
in  the  church  for  the  transaction  of  business  incident  to  the 


310          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

settlement  of  the  pastor.  The  installation  services  occurred  on 
the  following  day. 

Rev.  Emerson  was  a  son  of  Rev.  Daniel  Emerson ;  a  cousin 
of  Ralph  Emerson,  of  Rockford,  and  a  second  cousin  of  the 
famous  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson.  Joseph  Emerson  was  born  in 
Dartmouth,  Massachusetts,  in  1806,  and  died  at  Andover, 
Massachusetts,  in  1885.  Mr.  Emerson  was  graduated  from 
Yale  college  in  1830,  and  from  Andover  theological  seminary 
in  1835.  He  received  his  ordination  in  1836.  His  pastorate 
in  Rockford  was  eminently  successful.  He  built  the  house 
on  North  Church  street,  where  Ralph  Emerson  now  resides. 
Some  of  his  friends  thought  he  was  building  his  home  too  far 
from  the  village — away  up  in  Dr.  HaskelPs  orchard. 

The  pastorate  of  Rev.  Emerson  was  signalized  by  the  erec- 
tion of  the  second  house  of  worship  on  South  Church  street. 
July  19, 1855,  the  society  voted  that  it  was  expedient  to  take 
action  toward  building  a  new  church.  A  committee,  consisting 
of  D.  G.  Clark,  G.  A.  Sanford,  T.  D.  Robertson,  John  Edwards 
and  John  S.  Coleman,  was  appointed  to  carry  out  the  same. 
In  1856  subscription  papers  were  circulated.  A  building  com- 
mittee was  composed  of  John  Edwards,  D.  G.  Clark,  J.  G.  Man- 
love,  G.  A.  Sanford,  Ralph  Emerson,  and  T.  D.  Robertson.  A 
correspondence  was  opened  with  Renwick  &  Auchmuty,  a  firm 
of  architects  in  New  York,  and  from  them  was  received,  in  the 
summer  of  1856,  plans  and  specifications  for  the  structure. 
The  committee  invited  proposals.  The  most  favorable  response 
was  received  from  David  and  James  Keyt,  of  Piqua,  Ohio.  The 
committee,  before  letting  so  large  a  contract,  desired  to  obtain 
definite  information  concerning  the  character  and  standing  of 
the  bidders.  John  Edwards  was  sent  to  Piqua  to  make  an 
inquiry.  The  result  of  his  mission  was  so  satisfactory  that  the 
contract  was  let  to  the  Messrs.  Keyt  for  the  sum  of  twenty- 
three  thousand  four  hundred  and  seventy-eight  dollars  and 
seventy-eight  cents. 

There  was  some  difference  of  opinion  on  the  choice  of  loca- 
tion. Certain  members  strongly  urged  the  erection  of  the  church 
north  of  State  street;  but  it  was  decided,  by  a  vote  of  eleven  to 
two,  that  it  should  be  built  on  the  corner  of  South  Church  and 
Chestnut  streets.  The  lot  was  purchased  from  L.  H.  Rood  for 
three  thousand  dollars.  Work  was  begun  on  the  building  May 
17,  1857,  and  was  completed  in  the  autumn  of  1858.  The 
plans  provided  for  a  stone  porch  in  front,  and  a  lecture  room  in 


DEDICATION  OF  THEIR  SECOND  HOUSE  OF  WORSHIP.        311 

the  rear.  Upon  signing  the  contract,  the  rear  extension  was 
omitted,  because  the  committee  could  not  depend  upon  obtain- 
ing money  to  pay  for  the  same ;  and  still  later  the  porch  was 
also  abandoned,  which  reduced  the  expense  about  fourteen 
hundred  dollars.  The  building  committee  met  great  difficulty 
in  prosecuting  the  work,  and  during  its  progress  the  financial 
panic  of  1857  came  upon  the  country.  It  was  one  of  the  most 
severe  strains  in  the  money  market  in  the  history  of  the  coun- 
try. October  13th  of  that  year  the  New  York  banks  suspended 
specie  payment.  The  committee  had  fortunately  negotiated  a 
loan  for  six  thousand  dollars,  with  a  gentleman  in  New  Jersey, 
on  the  1st  of  October.  This  loan  was  made,  as  were  nearly  all 
the  loans,  on  the  personal  notes  of  the  building  committee.  The 
loan  of  four  thousand  dollars  was  also  secured  by  a  mortgage 
given  by  G.  A.Sanford,  T.  D.  Robertson  and  W.  A.  Dickerman, 
on  their  individual  property.  This  document  was  preserved 
for  many  years  as  a  memorial  of  the  courage  of  the  builders. 
Under  these  circumstances,  there  were  some  who  favored  the 
suspension  of  the  work ;  it  was  proposed  to  leave  off  the  spire ; 
but  the  committee  continued  the  work  to  completion. 

Farewell  services  were  held  in  the  old  church  on  Sunday, 
November  28th.  After  this  little  sanctuary  had  outlived  its  use- 
fulness in  a  growing  city,  it  was  donated  to  the  people  in  Owen 
township,  where  it  was  again  used  as  a  house  of  worship. 

The  new  church  was  dedicated  Thursday,  December  2, 1858. 
The  dedicatory  sermon  was  preached  by  the  pastor,  from  Isaiah 
66 : 1,  2 :  "Thus  saith  the  Lord,  The  heaven  is  my  throne,  and 
the  earth  is  my  footstool:  where  is  the  house  that  ye  build  unto 
me?  and  where  is  the  place  of  my  rest  ?  For  all  those  things 
hath  mine  hand  made,  and  all  those  things  have  been,  saith  the 
Lord :  but  to  this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and 
of  a  contrite  spirit,  and  trembleth  at  my  word."  This  church 
continued  to  be  the  house  of  worship  for  nearly  thirty-four 
years,  until  the  spring  of  1892.  It  has  been  said  that  P.  P. 
Bliss,  the  famous  gospel  singer  and  composer,  wrote  his  best 
known  song,  Hold  the  Fort,  in  this  church.  Among  the  distin- 
guished persons  who  have  entertained  Rockford  audiences  from 
its  pulpit  are  Rev.  Lyman  Abbott,  D.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Julia  Ward 
Howe. 

July  30,  1859,  Rev.  Emerson  tendered  his  resignation ;  and 
on  August  23d  an  ecclesiastical  council  convened  at  the  church, 
and  dissolved  the  pastoral  relation.  The  church  did  not  long 


312          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

remain  without  an  under-shepherd.  At  a  regular  meeting  of  the 
church  December  7, 1859,  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  Jeremiah 
E.  Walton.  This  call  was  accepted,  although  there  is  no  record 
of  his  installation.  This  pastorate  continued  until  December, 
1863. 

Mr.  Walton  graduated  from  Williams  college,  in  1853,  and 
from  Hartford  seminary,  in  1856.  He  came  to  Rockford  from 
Troy,  New  York,  when  a  young  man,  full  of  hope  and  enthusi- 
asm. Mr.  Walton  entertained  religious  views  similar  to  those 
held  by  the  late  Horace  Bushnell,  and  especially  those  concern- 
ing Christian  nurture.  After  his  removal  from  Rockford  Rev. 
Walton  took  orders  as  a  priest  in  the  Episcopal  church.  He 
subsequently  returned  to  Rockford,  and  became  the  rector  of 
Emmanuel  church.  Mr.  Walton  resides  at  Marshall,  Michigan. 

The  pipe  organ  was  constructed  in  1863,  at  a  cost  of  about 
two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  Rev.  M.  P.  Kinney  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  August  10, 1864 ;  and  an  ecclesiastical 
council  was  convened  Nov.  29th.  Rev.  Frank  P.  Woodbury, 
D.  D.,  was  called  November  23,  1870.  He  was  succeeded  in  1888 
by  the  late  Rev.  Walter  Manning  Barrows,  D.  D.  His  successors 
have  been  Rev.  Wesley  C.  Haskell  and  Re^.  Peter  Snyder. 

Of  the  constituent  members,  eight  are  still  living :  Thomas 
D.  Robertson,  Mrs.  Caroline  M.  Dickerman,  Mrs.  Emily  G.  San- 
ford-Dodd,  and  Mrs.  Rebecca  Ailing,  of  Rockford;  Judge  Henry 
C.  Hyde,  Mrs.  Sarah  D.  Hyde-French,  and  Miss  Esther  A.  Hyde, 
of  Freeporb,  Illinois ;  and  Mrs.  Hannah  L.  Gorham-Weldon,  of 
Santa  Barbara,  California.  Mrs.  Emily  Sanford-Dodd  was  the 
wife  of  Albert  Sauford,  who  died  in  1854.  In  1877  Mrs.  Sanford 
married  Jacob  S.  Dodd,  and  removed  to  New  Jersey.  After  the 
death  of  Mr.  Dodd  in  1884,  Mrs.  Dodd  returned  to  Rockford. 
Mrs.  Rebecca  Ailing  is  the  widow  of  the  late  David  D.  Ailing. 
She  was  born  in  December,  1813,  and  came  to  Rockford  in  1837 
with  her  husband.  The  lasfc  death  among  the  charter  members 
was  that  of  Mrs.  Harriette  Platt-Cotton,  which  occurred  April 
9, 1900,  at  her  home  in  Rockford.  John  Platt  died  in  1880. 
Mrs.  Platt  married  Robert  Cotton,  and  was  again  left  a  widow. 

The  accessions  to  the  church  in  1850  were  twenty-nine; 
1851,  thirty-five;  1852,  fifteen;  1853,  sixteen ;  1854,  twenty- 
four;  1855,  fifteen;  1856,  twenty-seven;  1857,  twenty-nine. 


CHAPTER  LX. 

INCORPORATION  OF  ROCKFORD  AS  A  CITY.— MINOR  NOTES. 

THREE  nearly  cotemporary  events  contributed  to  the  pro- 
gress of  Rockford  from  the  simple  village  to  its  more  com- 
manding position  as  a  city.  The  advent  of  the  railroad,  the 
first  in  importance,  has  already  been  noted.  The  organization 
of  the  new  water-power  company  is  reserved  for  a  later  chapter. 
The  third  factor  was  the  incorporation  of  Rockford  as  a  city. 

As  early  as  1851  the  citizens  realized  that  the  local  govern- 
ment was  no  longer  adequate  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  rapidly 
increasing  population.  In  the  autumn  of  that  year  steps  were 
taken  for  the  organization  of  a  city  government.  In  pursuance 
of  a  call  signed  by  Jason  Marsh,  G.  A.  Sanford,  Willard  Wheeler, 
Isaiah  Lyon,  George  Wyatt,  Newton  Crawford,  C.  I.  Horsman, 
W.  A.  Dickerman,  W.  P.  Dennis,  Jesse  Blinnaud  William  Hulin, 
a  meeting  was  held  at  the  court  house  November  29th.  It  was 
deemed  advisable  at  this  conference  to  submit  the  question 
of  city  organization  to  a  vote  of  the  citizens.  The  trustees  of 
the  town  thereupon  ordered  an  election  for  this  purpose  to  be 
held  January  3, 1852.  There  was  110  excitement  to  call  out  the 
voters,  as  the  prospective  change  was  generally  accepted  as  a 
matter  of  course.  One  hundred  and  nine  votes  were  cast  for 
organizing  under  the  general  law  of  1849.  The  city  government 
of  Springfield,  Illinois,  was  adopted  as  a  basis  of  organization. 
The  first  election  under  the  new  order  was  held  April  19, 
1852.  The  candidates  for  mayor  were  Willard  Wheeler  and  E. 
H.  Potter.  The  election  resulted  in  the  choice  of  Mr.  Wheeler. 
The  aldermen  elected  were :  Sumner  Damon,  First  ward ;  E.  H. 
Potter,  Second  ward;  H.  N.  Spalding,  Third  ward;  C.  N. 
Andrews,  Fourth  ward.  The  first  meeting  of  the  city  council 
was  held  on  Monday,  April  26th,  at  the  counting-room  of 
Eleazer  H.  Potter.  William  Lathrop  was  appointed  city  clerk. 
An  ordinance  was  passed  creating  the  following  city  officers : 
clerk  of  the  council,  attorney,  treasurer,  marshal,  assessor,  col- 
lector, engineer  and  two  street  commissioners.  These  officers 
were  to  be  appointed  annually  by  the  city  council  at  its  first 


314          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFOED  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

regular  meeting  after  the  annual  municipal  election.  At  the 
second  session  of  the  council,  held  May  1st,  the  following  city 
officers  were  appointed :  William  Lathrop,  attorney ;  Hiram  R. 
May nard,  treasurer;  Duncan  Ferguson,  assessor;  K.  H.  Milli- 
ken,  collector ;  Duncan  Ferguson,  city  engineer ;  Thatcher  Blake 
and  William  McKenney,  street  commissioners. 

An  act  of  the  legislature  of  June  18,  1852,  authorized  the 
city  of  Rockford  to  borrow  money,  not  exceeding  ten  thousand 
dollars,  for  the  purpose  of  constructing  a  bridge.  Bonds  were 
to  be  issued,  in  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars  each,  bearing 
interest  not  exceeding  ten  per  cent.,  and  were  to  be  redeemed 
within  twenty  years  from  issue.  This  sum  was  evidently  insuf- 
ficient for  the  purpose ;  and  an  act  of  the  legislature  of  Febru- 
ary 3, 1853,  authorized  the  city  to  borrow  a  maximum  sum  of 
fifteen  thousand  dollars.  Bonds  were  to  be  issued  in  sums  not 
exceeding  one  thousand  dollars  each,  payable  within  twenty 
years,  and  to  draw  interest  not  exceeding  ten  per  cent.  The 
act  of  1852  was  repealed.  There  is  a  tradition  that  Jason 
Marsh  was  sent  east  to  negotiate  the  sale  of  the  bonds,  for 
which  he  charged  a  commission  of  ten  per  cent.  This  fee  was 
very  reluctantly  paid.  Today  Rockford  can  borrow  money 
at  a  very  low  rate  of  interest,  and  command  a  liberal  premium 
on  her  bonds.  The  second  or  covered  bridge  was  built  in 
1854,  with  the  funds  derived  from  the  sale  of  bonds  the  preced- 
ing year.  This  bridge  stood  until  December,  1871,  when  it  was 
torn  down  and  succeeded  by  the  first  iron  bridge. 

There  was  some  technical  irregularity  in  the  incorporation 
of  the  city ;  and  an  act  of  the  legislature  approved  February  8, 
1853,  legalized  the  previous  official  acts  of  the  mayor  and  coun- 
cil. Section  two  of  this  law  provided :  "That  all  official  acts  of 
the  council  and  of  the  mayor,  or  either  of  them,  of  said  city, 
done  or  performed  since  their  election  as  such,  and  prior  to  the 
period  this  act  shall  take  effect,  and  which  would  have  been 
valid  in  case  the  original  incorporation  as  a  city  had  been  legal, 
be  and  the  same  is  hereby  legalized." 

A  special  charter  was  granted  to  the  city  by  the  legislature 
March  4, 1854.  By  this  act  the  general  law  of  1849  was  declared 
to  be  no  longer  in  force,  so  far  as  Rockford  was  concerned, 
except  for  the  purpose  of  supplementing  proceedings  had  or 
commenced,  so  as  not  to  impair  the  legal  consequences  of  any 
past  transaction.  This  charter  was  amended  February  14, 1855, 
April  26, 1859,  and  February  22, 1861.  "An  act  to  reduce  the 


EARLY  MAYORS  AND  CLERKS.  315 

charter  of  the  city  of  Rockford,  and  the  several  acts  amendatory 
thereof  into  one  act  and  to  revise  and  amend  the  same,"  was 
approved  February  15,  1865.  Rockford  was  governed  by  this 
charter  until  the  city  was  reorganized  under  the  general  law. 
This  general  law,  enacted  in  1872,  repealed  the  general  law  of 
1849,  and  abolished  the  system  of  special  charters.  Between 
these  dates  there  appear  to  have  been  two  methods  for  the 
incorporation  of  cities  in  force  at  the  same  time:  by  a  general 
law,  and  by  a  special  charter.  It  may  be  presumed  that  a  city 
generally  obtained  greater  powers  under  a  special  charter  than 
by  a  general  law;  and  the  former  method  of  incorporation  was 
more  generally  adopted  by  the  cities  of  the  state. 

The  constitution  of  1870  abolished  special  legislation,  which 
for  half  a  century  had  been  a  cumbersome  method  of  incorpo- 
rating cities,  colleges  and  business  enterprises.  Moreover,  the 
old  system  afforded  great  opportunities  for  corruption  in  the 
legislature.  The  evolution  of  legislation  in  Illinois,  from  the 
special  to  the  general,  is  an  interesting  study  to  the  student  of 
political  history. 

Previous  to  1887  the  mayor  was  elected  annually.  The 
chief  executives  of  the  ciby  prior  to  1864  were  as  follows :  Willard 
Wheeler,  April  26,  1852,  to  April  25,  1853;  Hiram  R.Maynard, 
April  25,  1853,  to  April  22,  1854;  Ulysses  M.  Warner,  April  22, 
1854,  to  April  25,  1855;  Edward  Vaughn,  April  25,  1855,  to 
April  29,  1856 ;  James  L.  Loop,  April  29,  1856,  to  May  4, 
1857;  William  Brown,  May  4,  1857,  to  May  3,  1858;  Seely 
Perry,  May  3,  1858,  to  May  2,  1859 ;  Charles  Williams,  May 
2,  1859,  to  May  2,  1864.  Mr.  Williams  served  five  consec- 
utive terms.  This  honor  has  been  conferred  upon  no  other 
citizen.  Mayor  Brown  will  have  served  six  years  upon  theexpi- 
ration  of  his  present  term,  but  he  has  been  elected  only  three 
terms. 

The  city  clerks  to  1866  were  as  follows :  William  Lathrop, 
May  1, 1852,  to  June  6, 1853;  John  K.  Farwell,  June  6,  1853, 
to  December  6, 1853 ;  Lyman  F.  Warner,  December  6, 1853,  to 
May  16, 1855 ;  Samuel  W.  Stanley,  May  16,  1855,  to  May  5, 
1856;  Hobart  H.  Hatch,  May  5,  1856,  to  May  23,  1857; 
Edward  Vaughn,  May  23,  1857,  to  May  10,  1858 ;  Louis  W. 
Burnham,  May  10, 1858,  to  May  12,  1859 ;  Porter  Sheldon, 
May  12, 1859,  to  May  7, 1860;  Rufus  C.  Bailey,  May  7, 1860, 
to  April  2,  1866. 

The  following  named  gentlemen  served  the  city  as  attorney 


316         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

down  to  1863 :  William  Lathrop,  May  1 , 1852,  to  June  6, 1853 ; 
Lyman  F.  Warner,  June  6, 1853,  to  May  1,  1856 ;  Samuel  W. 
Stanley,  May  1,  1856,  to  May  26,  1856;  Orrin  Miller,  Jr.,  May 
26, 1856,  to  May  23, 1857;  James  M.  Wight,  May  23, 1857,  to 
May  10, 1858;  Harris  D.  Adams,  May  10,  1858,  to  August  6, 
1858;  Porter  Sheldon,  August  9, 1858,  to  May  7, 1860;  Chris- 
topher M.Brazee,  May  6,  1860,  to  June  22,  1863. 

In  1855  steps  were  taken  for  the  organization  of  a  fire 
department.  Its  need  had  daily  become  more  apparent.  A 
committee,  appointed  by  the  city  council,  purchased  four  small 
engines,  named  Constantino,  Alexander,  Sevastopol  and  Nicho- 
las. The  Sevastopol  was  received  in  the  latter  part  of  October, 
and  February  21, 1856,  a  public  trial  was  made  of  the  engines, 
all  of  which  had  arrived.  The  result  was  not  altogether  satis- 
factory, and  the  "machines"  with  Russian  names  were  dis- 
carded. In  May  and  June,  Winnebago  Engine  Company  Num- 
ber One,  and  Washington  Number  Two  were  organized,  and 
nearly  a  year  later  the  efficient  engines  bearing  those  names 
were  received.  Subsequently  Union  Engine  Company  Number 
Three  was  formed,  and  an  engine  procured.  These  three  engines 
constituted  the  fire  apparatus  of  the  city  as  late  as  1869.  The 
first  six  chief  engineers  were  Edward  F.  W.  Ellis,  Samuel  I. 
Church.  M.  A.  Bartlett,  Howard  D.  Frost,  A.  G.  Springsteen  ^ 
Gardner  S.  Allen.  The  first  four  first  assistant  engineers  were 
Gardner  S.  Allen,  James  E.  L.  Southgate,  Charles  T.  Jellerson, 
Hiram  H.  Waldo. 

The  tax  levies  for  the  first  few  years  under  the  new  regime 
were  as  follows:  1854,  seven  and  one-half  mills  on  each  dollar  of 
taxable  property,  both  real  and  personal ;  1855,  ten  mills  on 
each  dollar;  1856,  one  and  three-quarters  per  cent,  on  each  dol- 
lar ;  1857,  one  and  one-half  per  cent. ;  1858,  one  and  five-eighths 
per  cent. ;  1859,  two  and  one-half  per  cent.  ?  1860,  two  per 
cent. ;  1861,  two  per  cent.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  rate 
increased  each  year  up  to  1859. 

The  City  Hotel  was  opened  in  June,  1852,  by  James  B. 
Pierce,  who  had  been  connected  with  the  Winnebago  House. 
The  City  Hotel  stood  on  the  southeast  corner  of  State  and 
Church  streets.  It  was  one  of  the  old  land  landmarks  on  the 
street,  and  was  torn  down  to  make  room  for  Hon.  E.  B.  Sum- 
ner's  brick  block,  occupied  by  the  Forest  City  National  Bank. 

The  Rockford  Forum  of  July  7, 1852,  appeared  in  mourn- 


DEATH  OF  CLAY  AND  WEBSTER.  317 

ing  for  the  death  of  Henry  Clay,  which  occurred  June  29th. 
Bells  were  tolled  upon  receipt  of  the  intelligence.  A  mass 
meeting  of  the  citizens  was  held  at  the  court  house  July  1st,  to 
make  arrangements  for  a  public  tribute  to  the  memory  of  the 
great  statesman.  Anson  S.  Miller  was  chairman,  and  John  A. 
Phelps,  secretary  of  the  meeting.  Newton  Crawford,  William 
Brown,  John  A.  Phelps,  John  Edwards,  Selden  M.  Church, 
Anson  S.  Miller  and  Mayor  Wheeler  were  appointed  a  commit- 
tee to  complete  arrangements.  Memorial  services  were  held  at 
the  Baptist  church  July  24th.  Prayer  was  offered  by  the  pas- 
tor, and  Ex-Governor  Bebb  pronounced  an  eloquent  eulogy. 
It  has  been  said  man  is,  as  he  is  related  to  other  men.  Henry 
Clay  could  be  measured  by  this  standard.  He  was  the  greatest 
parliamentary  leader  of  his  time,  with  Douglas  and  Blaine  as 
close  seconds. 

The  First  Baptist  church  purchased  a  bell  from  the  foundry 
of  Rincker  &  Company,  of  Chicago,  in  July,  1852.  Its  weight 
was  fifteen  hundred  and  forty  pounds,  and  cost  about  six  hun- 
dred dollars. 

Hon.  John  P.  Hale,  the  candidate  of  the  free  Democracy 
for  the  presidency,  delivered  an  address  at  the  court  house  in 
Rockford,  October  15,  1852.  The  audience  was  estimated  at 
five  thousand,  and  many  came  from  neighboring  counties.  Mr. 
Hale's  address  was  dignified  and  candid,  and  made  a  favorable 
impression. 

In  October,  1852,  the  Bank  of  Rockford  was  organized  under 
the  general  banking  law  of  the  state.  Charles  I.  Horsman  was 
president,  and  Charles  C.  Wilcox,  cashier.  A  sworn  statement 
of  its  condition  on  the  first  Monday  in  July,  1853,  reported  a 
circulation  of  $49,995.  Levi  Moulthrop  began  his  business  life 
as  a  clerk  in  this  bank,  when  he  was  twelve  years  of  age,  and 
remained  five  years.  The  bank  suspended  in  1857. 

October  27th  the  Forum  a  second  time  appeared  in  mourn- 
ing, for  the  death  of  Daniel  Webster,  which  occurred  the  preced- 
ing Sunday.  Although  Mr.  Webster's  death  made  a  profound 
impression  throughout  the  country,  it  did  not  so  stir  the  hearts 
of  Rockford  citizens  as  did  the  passing  of  Henry  Clay.  Men  loved 
Henry  Clay ;  they  admired  Daniel  Webster.  One  moved  men ; 
the  other  expounded  principles.  The  work  of  Webster  is  the 
more  enduring.  He  will  rank  in  history  with  Hamilton  and 
Marshall.  On  the  Sunday  following  the  death  of  Mr.  Webster, 
Theodore  Parker  preached  a  memorial  discourse  in  Boston,  in 


318          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

which  he  boldly  criticised  his  subject.  In  view  of  the  fact  that 
this  oration  is  regarded  as  one  of  Parker's  masterpieces,  a  local 
cotemporary  estimate  is  of  interest.  The  Forum,  edited  by  A. 
Colton,  made  this  editorial  comment :  "That  erratic  divine, 
Theodore  Parker,  has  improved  the  opportunity  to  preach  a 
sermon  upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Webster,  .  .  His  attempt  to 
criticise  the  career  of  Mr.  Webster  is  like  a  phosphoretic  spark 
prescribing  for  a  thunderbolt.  It  has  been  well  observed  that 
it  is  an  illustration  of  the  ass  kicking  the  dead  lion." 

In  March,  1853,  Julius  J.  Trask,  a  settler  of  Winnebago 
county,  died  in  California.  His  brother,  Alva  Trask,  the  first 
proprietor  of  Trask's  ferry  on  Pecatonica  river,  died  in  Califor- 
nia some  months  previous. 

The  term,  "Forest  City,"  as  applied  to  Rockford,  had  its 
origin  in  an  article  written  by  a  correspondent  of  the  New 
York  Tribune,  which  was  published  in  the  autumn  of  1853.  The 
preservation  of  the  native  forest  trees  made  the  name  appro- 
priate, and  Rockford  is  so  designated  to  this  day. 

In  pursuance  of  an  act  of  the  legislature  approved  Febru- 
ary 14,  1853,  Thomas  H.  Campbell,  state  auditor  of  public 
accounts,  offered  for  sale  at  public  auction  at  the  court  house 
in  Rockford,  November  18,  1853,  all  state  lands  in  Winnebago 
county.  About  twelve  hundred  acres  were  sold.  The  law  fixed 
the  minimum  price  at  three  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  acre. 
These  lands  were  given  the  state  by  act  of  congress  of  September 
4,  1841,  for  the  purpose  of  creating  an  internal  improvement 
fund. 


CHAPTER  LXI. 

ELECTIONS  OF  1852-53.— ELIHU  B.  WASHBURNE. 

IN  the  presidential  election  of  1852  Winnebago  county  main- 
tained its  position  as  a  Whig  stronghold.  The  presidential 
electors  received  1,023  votes;  the  Democratic  electors,  820; 
Free  Soil  electors,  725. 

Under  the  apportionment  of  August  22,  1852,  the  legisla- 
ture divided  the  state  into  nine  congressional  districts.  The 
First  district  comprised  the  counties  of  Lake,  McHenry,  Boone, 
Winnebago,  Stephenson,  JoDaviess,  Carroll  and  Ogle. 

The  campaign  of  1852  was  signalized  by  the  election  of  E. 
B.  Washburne  as  a  member  of  congress  from  the  First  district. 
Mr.  Washburne  received  1,102  votes  in  Winnebago  county; 
Thompson  Campbell,  his  Democratic  opponent,  851 ;  and  New- 
man Campbell,  610  votes.  The  advent  of  Mr.  Washburne  into 
national  politics  is  worthy  of  more  than  a  passing  notice.  Elihu 
Benjamin  Washburne  was  a  member  of  the  celebrated  Wash- 
burne family.  He  was  born  in  Livermore,  Maine,  September 
23, 1816.  In  1839  he  entered  the  Harvard  law  school.  Among 
his  classmates  were  Richard  H.  Dana  and  William  M.  Evarts. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1840,  and  at  once  settled  at 
Galena,  Illinois,  and  entered  into  partnership  in  the  practice  of 
law  with  Charles  S.  Hempstead,  one  of  the  incorporafcors  of 
Rockford  female  seminary.  Mr.  Washburne  remained  in  con- 
gress from  1853  until  March  6,  1869.  From  this  long  and 
honorable  service  he  was  familiarly  known  as  the  "Father  of 
the  House,"  and  in  that  capacity  he  administered  the  oath  as 
speaker  to  Schuyler  Coif  ax  three  times,  and  once  to  James  G, 
Blaine.  By  reason  of  his  insistence  that  the  finances  of  the  gov- 
ernment should  be  administered  with  the  strictest  economy, 
Mr.  Washburne  was  called  the  "Watch-dog  of  the  Treasury." 
Mr.  Wasburne  called  the  attention  of  Governor  Yates  to  his 
townsman,  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  who  wished  to  enter  military  ser- 
vice. When  the  hero  of  the  civil  war  became  president,  he  honored 
his  old  friend  with  the  appointment  of  secretary  of  state,  and 
later  he  made  him  minister  to  France.  This  position  he  held 
during  the  Franco-Prussian  war.  At  the  request  of  Bismarck, 


320          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFOBD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

and  with  the  permission  of  the  French  minister  of  foreign 
affairs,  Mr.  Washburne  exercised  his  official  influence  for  the 
protection  of  the  Germans  in  Paris.  When  the  empire  was 
overthrown,  Mr.  Washburne  was  the  first  foreign  representative 
to  recognize  the  new  republic.  He  remained  in  Paris  during  the 
siege,  and  was  at  his  post  when  the  commune  ruled  the  city. 
The  emperor  of  Germany  recognized  his  services  by  conferring 
upon  him  the  Order  of  the  Red  Eagle.  He  declined  this  honor 
because  a  provision  of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States 
prohibited  it.  Upon  Mr.  Washburne's  resignation  in  1877,  the 
emperor  sent  him  his  life-size  portrait ;  and  he  was  similarly 
honored  by  Bismarck,  Theirs  and  Gambetta.  Mr.  Washburne 
died  in  Chicago  October  22,  1887.  His  rugged  independence 
and  absolute  integrity  gave  him  the  full  confidence  of  the  people. 

Abraham  I.  Enoch  was  elected  a  member  of  the  legislature 
from  the  Forty-seventh  senatorial  district.  His  vote  in  Win- 
nebago  county  was  1,063;  Lyman  F.  Warner,  Democrat,  840; 
Ezra  S.  Cable,  659.  Mr.  Enoch  was  born  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  July 
24,  1819.  He  came  to  this  county  with  his  father's  family  in 
1835,  and  settled  in  Guilford  township.  Mr.  Enoch  was  hon- 
ored by  several  public  offices,  and  in  1866  he  was  again  elected 
a  member  of  the  legislature.  Mr.  Enoch  removed  to  Rockford 
in  1867,  and  began  the  manufacture  of  plows.  In  1844  Mr. 
Enoch  married  Catharine  J.  Davis.  They  had  seven  daughters : 
Mrs.  D.  C.  Putnam,  Mrs.  H.  H.  Carpenter,  Mrs.  Charles  A. 
Works,  and  Misses  Clara,  Harriett  A.,  Emma  A.  and  Lois  A. 
Reverses  of  fortune  came  to  Mr.  Enoch,  bub  he  sustained  them 
with  the  courage  and  honor  of  a  high-minded  Christian  gentle- 
man. Mr.  Enoch  died  in  1883. 

William  Brown  was  elected  state's  attorney  for  the  Four- 
teenth judicial  circuit.  His  majorities  in  the  several  counties 
were:  Winnebago,  650 ;  Stephenson,480;  JoDaviess,  87;  total, 
1,217.  His  opponents  were  Francis  Buriiap,  John  C.  Kean  and 
Francis  S.  W.  Bradley. 

Charles  H.  Spafford  was  elected  circuit  clerk  by  an  even  one 
thousand  votes ;  King  H.  Milliken  was  elected  sheriff;  Alfred 
A.  Chamberlain,  coroner. 

At  the  county  election  in  1853  the  entire  Whig  ticket  was 
successful.  Selden  M.  Church  was  elected  county  judge;  Asher 
Beach  and  Alfred  E.  Hale,  associate  justices;  William  Hulin, 
county  clerk ;  C.  A.  Huntington,  school  commissioner ;  Duncan 
Ferguson,  county  treasurer ;  Duncan  Ferguson,  surveyor. 


CHAPTER  LXII. 

THE  WATER-POWER  COMPANY. — THE  MANNY-M'CORMICK    SUIT. 

lULY  15, 1851,  many  of  the  leading  public-spirited  citizens  of 
*•'  the  town  associated  themselves  together  under  the  name 
of  the  Rockford  Water  Power  Company.  These  gentlemen  were: 
Thomas  D.  Robertson,  John  A.  Holland,  R.  P.  Lane,  G.  A. 
Sanford,  W.  A.  Dickerman,  S.  M.  Church,  Orlando  Clark,  C.  I. 
Horsman;  John  Edwards,  John  S.  Coleman,  John  Fisher,  Wil- 
liam Hulin,  Isaiah  Lyon,  Melancthon  Starr,  C.  H.  Spafford, 
Lucius  Clark,  J.  J.  Town,  Henry  Potwin,  H.  R.  Maynard,  Jas. 
H.  Rogers,  B.  McKenney,  John  Platt,  Albert  Sanford,  Chas.  C. 

Hope,  H.  P.  Kimball,  Robert  Clow,  Vanduzer  and 

McCoy.  This  organization  was  effected  in  pursuance  of  the 
general  law  enacted  by  the  legislature  in  1849,  for  the  improve- 
ment of  Rock  river  and  the  production  of  hydraulic  power. 

In  September,  1851,  the  owners  of  the  water  and  laud  under 
the  old  company  entered  into  an  agreement  with  the  new 
company,  whereby  the  two  interests  were  consolidated;  and 
steps  were  immediately  taken  for  the  construction  of  a  per- 
manent dam  on  the  rock  bottom  of  the  old  ford,  from  which 
the  city  derives  its  name.  In  the  spring  of  1853  the  dam  and 
race  were  completed  and  accepted  by  the  company.  The  length 
of  the  dam  is  between  seven  hundred  and  eight  hundred  feet. 
The  water-power  is  divided  into  twenty  thousand  parts,  and  is 
held  and  sold  in  this  proportion. 

The  first  great  impetus  given  to  the  manufacturing  inter- 
ests of  Rockford  was  the  advent  of  John  H.  Manny,  in  1853. 
Mr.  Manny  was  born  in  Amsterdam,  New  York,  November  28, 
1825.  His  father,  Pells  Manny,  settled  at  Waddam's  Grove, 
in  Stephenson  county.  The  younger  Manny's  attention  was 
called  to  the  need  of  a  reaper  by  his  father's  purchase  of  ahead- 
ing  machine,  which  proved  unsatisfactory.  The  father  and  son 
thereupon  so  reconstructed  the  header  as  to  practically  make  a 
new  machine.  They  obtained  a  patent  on  the  header  and  began 
its  manufacture  on  a  small  scale.  It  proved  to  be  too  expen- 
sive, and  was  abandoned.  Mr.  Manny  then  directed  his  atten- 


322          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

tion  toward  perfecting  a  reaper,  and  after  many  vicissitudes, 
which  brought  him  to  serious  financial  embarrassment,  his 
inventive  genius  and  indomitable  energy  were  crowned  with 
success.  Mr.  Manny  built  eighty-four  machines  in  1852. 

In  July,  1852,  a  reaper  trial  was  held  in  Geneva,  New  York, 
in  which  Mr.  Manny's  reaper  came  into  competition  with  eleven 
others.  The  excellence  of  Mr.  Manny's  machine  was  established. 

In  the  spring  of  1853  Mr.  Manny  was  urged  to  come  to 
Eockford  by  Orlando  Clark.  The  preceding  year  Isaac  Utter 
came  from  the  east,  and  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Clark, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Clark  &  Utter.  In  the  spring  of  1853 
there  were  manufactured  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  Mr.  Manny's 
combined  reapers  and  mowers,  in  Clark  &  Utter's  factory.  It 
is  also  said  that  John  A.  Holland  told  Blinn  &  Emerson,  who 
were  then  in  the  hardware  business,  that  it  would  be  desirable 
to  have  Mr.  Manny  come  to  Rockford  for  two  reasons :  first, 
there  was  better  water-power ;  second,  the  firm  was  extending 
liberal  credit  to  Mr.  Manny  for  stock. 

The  popularity  of  the  Manny  reaper  demanded  larger  capi- 
tal. In  the  spring  of  1854  Wait  and  Sylvester  Talcott  became 
associated  with  Mr.  Manny  as  partners,  under  the  name  of  J. 
H.  Manny  &  Company,  and  during  the  year  eleven  hundred 
machines  were  made.  In  the  autumn  of  1854  Jesse  Blinn  and 
Ralph  Emerson  were  added  to  the  firm,  and  its  name  was 
changed  to  Manny  &  Company.  In  1855  the  famous  trials  of 
the  Manny  reaper  were  made  in  Europe,  which  gave  to  his 
inventions  a  reputation  abroad.  Mr.  Manny  continued  to 
improve  his  reaper,  and  obtained  twenty-three  patents  upon 
new  devices. 

In  September,  1855,  C.  H.  McCormick,  of  Chicago,  began  suit 
in  the  federal  court  to  enjoin  the  Manny  Company  from  using  a 
certain  device,  upon  the  ground  of  infringement  of  patent.  The 
case  was  heard  before  Justice  McLean  and  Judge  Drummond, 
at  Cincinnati,  although  the  court  records  were  kept  in  Chicago, 
which  belonged  to  the  same  circuit.  Attorneys  of  national  rep- 
utation were  retained.  Mr.  McCormick's  counsel  were  Reverdy 
Johnson  and  E.  N.  Dickerson.  Peter  H.  Watson,  who  had 
obtained  Mr.  Manny's  patents,  was  given  entire  charge  of  the 
defendants'  case.  Mr.  Watson  had  formerly  resided  in  Rock- 
ford,  and  later  he  became  assistant  secretary  of  war.  He 
employed  George  Harding,  Edwin  M.  Stanton  and  Abraham 
Lincoln.  It  is  said  E.  B.  Washburne  had  recommended  Mr. 


RALPH  EMERSON'S  RECOLLECTIONS  OF  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN.  323 

Lincoln  to  Mr.  Manny.  When  all  the  parties  had  arrived  at 
Cincinnati,  Mr.  Lincoln  was  informed  by  Mr.  Watson  that  Mr. 
Stanton  would  close  the  case  for  the  defendants.  This  was  a 
great  humiliation  to  Mr.  Lincoln.  Although  he  had  prepared 
his  argument,  Mr.  Lincoln  did  not  argue  the  case.  Mr.  Lincoln 
first  met  Mr.  Stanton  at  Cincinnati.  Mr.  Stanton  treated  him 
with  great  discourtesy  during  the  trial,  and  referred  to  him  as 
a  railsplitter  from  the  wild  west.  Notwithstanding  these  indig- 
nities, Mr.  Lincoln  was  impressed  with  Mr.  Stanton's  great 
force  of  character ;  and  when  six  years  later  a  man  of  iron  was 
needed,  President  Lincoln  made  Mr.  Stanton  his  secretary  of 
war.  No  other  incident  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Lincoln  better  illus- 
trates his  moral  greatness.  The  trial  resulted  in  a  victory  for 
the  Manny  Company.  The  decision  was  announced  January 
16,  1856.  The  defendants'  expenses  of  the  suit  were  sixty 
thousand  dollars,  and  this  large  sum  was  made  from  the 
business  in  a  short  time.  Mr.  McCormick  appealed  the  case  to 
the  United  States  supreme  court,  where  the  decision  of  thelower 
court  was  affirmed,  and  Mr.  Manny's  rights  as  inventor  were 
fully  sustained. 

Ida  M.  TarbelFs  Life  of  Lincoln,  republished  from  her  serial 
in  McClure's  Magazine,  gives  an  incident  of  this  trial,  which  the 
author  obtained  from  Ralph  Emerson,  who  says: 

"Mr.  Stanton  closed  his  speech  in  a  flight  of  impassioned  elo- 
quence. Then  the  court  adjourned  for  the  day,  and  Mr.  Lincoln 
invited  me  to  take  a  long  walk  with  him.  For  block  after  block 
he  walked  rapidly  forward,  not  saying  a  word,  evidently  deeply 
dejected. 

"At  last  he  turned  suddenly  to  me,  exclaiming:  'Emerson, 
I'm  going  home.'  A  pause.  'I  am  going  home  to  study  law.' 

"'Why,  I  exclaimed;  'Mr.  Lincoln,  you  stand  at  the  head 
of  the  bar  in  Illinois  now !  What  are  you  talking  about? ' 

"  'Ah,  yes,'  he  said,  'I  do  occupy  a  good  position  there,  and 
I  think  that  I  can  get  along  with  the  way  things  are  done  there 
now.  But  these  college-trained  men,  who  have  devoted  their 
whole  lives  to  study,  are  coming  west,  don't  you  see?  And  they 
study  their  cases  as  we  never  do.  They  have  got  as  far  as  Cin- 
cinnati now.  They  will  soon  be  in  Illinois.'  Another  long 
pause;  then  stopping  and  turning  toward  me,  his  countenance 
suddenly  assuming  that  look  of  strong  determination  which 
those  who  knew  him  best  sometimes  saw  upon  his  face,  he 
exclaimed,  'I  am  going  home  to  study  law!  I  am  as  good  as 


324  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

any  of  them,  and  when  they  get  out  to  Illinois  I  will  be  ready 
for  them.'" 

Mr.  Lincoln  once  visited  Rockford  on  professional  business 
in  connection  with  this  sui  b.  It  was  on  a  hot  summer  after- 
noon. Mr.  Lincoln  and  one  of  the  clients  sat  on  an  old  log  on 
the  bank  of  the  river  and  discussed  the  matter.  Mr.  Lincoln 
wore  a  long  linen  coat,  and  presented  that  picture  of  ungainli- 
ness  with  which  the  world  is  familiar.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  a  guest 
at  Mr.  Manny's  home,  which  was  a  small  frame  building 
that  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Milwaukee  depot.  The  company 
paid  Mr.  Lincoln  one  thousand  dollars,  which  was  the  largest 
fee  he  had  received  up  to  that  time. 

The  prolonged  mental  strain  incident  to  perfecting  his  inven- 
tions and  the  trial  of  the  suit  undermined  Mr.  Manny's  health. 
He  fell  a  prey  to  consumption,  and  January  31, 1856,  he  passed 
away,  in  his  little  modest  home  on  South  Main  street,  when  he 
had  just  passed  his  thirtieth  birthday.  He  never  realized  the 
wealth  which  his  inventions  would  bring  to  others,  nor  the 
prestige  which  they  would  give  to  the  Reaper  City,  nor  the  great 
name  which  he  had  made  for  himself. 

Mrs.  Manny  received  a  royalty  of  twenty-five  dollars  on 
every  machine  manufactured.  This  amount  was  subsequently 
reduced.  Financial  reverses  overtook  the  company  in  1857, 
but  it  weathered  the  storm,  and  built  an  extensive  plant. 

During  the  next  few  years  after  the  arrival  of  J.  H.  Manny, 
other  manufacturers  began  business  on  the  water-power.  D. 
Forbes  &  Son  established  their  iron  foundry  in  1854,  and  in 
1864  the  malleable  iron  works  were  added  to  the  business. 

Joseph  Rodd  came  to  Rockford  from  Canada  in  the  autumn 
of  1853,  and  a  few  years  later  he  embarked  in  the  milling  busi- 
ness on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  Mr.  Rodd's  home  was  the 
residence  of  Colonel  Lawler  on  Kishwaukee  street. 

In  1854  M.  Bartlett  &  Company  built  one  of  the  finest  stone 
structures  on  the  water-power  for  a  flouring  mill.  The  Troxell 
milt  was  established  in  1853  on  the  East  side,  and  in  1855  it 
was  purchased  by  Mr.  Bartlett. 

T.  Derwent  &  Son  began  the  milling  business  on  the  water- 
power  in  1859. 

Messrs.  Bertrand  &  Sames  were  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  cultivators  in  the  middle  fifties. 

W.  D.  Trahern  came  to  Rockford  in  1848  and  manufactured 
threshing  machines  on  the  old  water-power,  under  the  firm  name 


THE  MANNYS—N.  C.  THOMPSON.  325 

of  Trahern  &  Stuart.  In  1856  Mr.  Stuart  retired  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Mr.  Dales.  Later  Mr.  Trahern  manufactured  iron 
pumps.  He  died  November  2,  1883. 

In  1854  John  P.  Manny  began  the  manufacture  of  knife 
sections  in  Rockford  for  John  H.  Manny's  reapers.  He  suc- 
ceeded in  producing  a  knife  section  that  was  hardened  by  his 
own  peculiar  process  in  oil  tempering,  which  has  never  been 
surpassed  to  this  day. 

F.  H.  Manny  came  to  Rockford  in  1859  and  a  few  years 
later  he  was  engaged  in  manufacturing  the  John  H.  Manny 
combined  reaper  and  mower. 

N.  C.  Thompson  came  to  Rockford  in  1857,  and  for  years 
he  manufactured  exclusively  the  John  P.  Manny  reaper  and 
mower. 

William  Gent  came  to  Rockford  in  1857,  and  was  associated 
with  John  Nelson  in  scroll  work,  and  later  he  assisted  the 
inventor  in  perfecting  his  knitting  machine.  Mr.  Gent  was  con- 
sidered one  of  the  best  working  mechanics  in  the  state.  He 
died  June  20,  1887. 


CHAPTER  LXIII. 

EMERSON,  LOWELL,  WHIPPLE  AND  OTHERS  LECTURE  IN  ROCKFORD. 

THERE  has  been  one  movement  in  the  history  of  the  Ameri- 
can mind  which  gave  to  literature  a  group  of  writers  enti- 
tled to  the  name  of  a  school.  This  was  the  great  humanitarian 
movement,  or  series  of  movements,  in  New  England,  which 
began  with  the  elder  Channing,  ran  through  its  later  phase  in 
transcendentalism,  and  spent  its  force  in  the  anti-slavery  agita- 
tion and  the  enthusiasms  of  the  civil  war.  This  movement  was 
cotemporary  with  the  preaching  of  many  novel  doctrines  in 
religion,  sociology,  science,  education,  medicine  and  hygiene. 
New  sects  were  formed.  There  were  Millerites,  Spiritualists, 
Mormons,  Swedenborgians  and  Shakers. 

This  intellectual  and  moral  awakening  found  its  expression 
in  the  lecture  platform.  The  daily  newspaper  had  not  assumed 
its  present  blanket-sheet  proportions ;  and  the  leaders  of  these 
various  phases  of  new  thought  carried  their  message  to  the 
people  in  person. 

In  the  autumn  of  1853  the  Young  Men's  Association  was 
organized,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  to  Rockford  the  most 
popular  lecturers  of  the  day.  Among  its  members  were  Rev.  H. 
M.  Goodwin,  C.  H.  Spafford,  H.  H.  Waldo,  H.  P.  Holland,  E. 
W.  Blaisdell,  J.  E.  L.  Southgate,  William  Lathrop,  R.  A.  San- 
ford,  E.  H.  Baker,  Rev.  J.  Murray,  E.  C.  Daugherty,  A.  S.  Miller. 

The  first  course  was  provided  for  the  winter  of  1853-54. 
It  began  with  two  lectures,  November  29th  and  30th,  by  E.  P. 
Whipple,  in  the  First  Baptist  church.  It  is  almost  incredible  that 
one  of  the  local  newspapers  should  not  have  even  given  the 
subject  of  his  lecture.  From  the  other,  however,  it  is  learned 
that  Mr.  Whipple's  theme  for  this  first  lecture  was  Heroic  Char- 
acter, and  that  he  "delineated  graphically  and  beautifully  the 
hero-soldier,  led  on  by  his  love  of  glory ;  the  hero-patriot,  actu- 
ated by  his  love  of  country ;  the  hero-reformer,  moved  by  his 
love  of  humanity ;  and  the  hero-saint,  animated  by  his  love  of 
God."  The  subject  of  his  second  lecture  was  Eccentric  Charac- 
ter. The  Forum's  criticism  was  not  very  appreciative. 


HORACE  GREELETS  IMPRESSIONS  OF  ROCK  RIVER.          327 

The  third  lecture  was  given  December  10th,  at  the  Baptist 
church,  by  Horace  Mann.  His  subject  was  Young  Men.  The 
Democrat,  in  "reporting"  the  lecture,  took  this  flattering  unc- 
tion to  its  soul :  "As  we  looked  around  over  the  large  assem- 
blage of  youth,  beauty,  intellect  and  fashion,  and  noted  with 
what  anxiety  the  sea  of  heads  were  turned  toward  the  speaker, 
as  if  to  catch  the  words  ere  they  left  his  lips,  we  experienced  a 
deep  feeling  of  pride,  and  thought  to  ourselves,  few  places  in 
any  land,  of  equal  age,  population,  etc.,  can  boast  of  a  more 
highly  refined,  intellectual  community  than  are  to  be  found  in 
our  own  little  embryo  city." 

The  fourth  lecture  was  given  in  the  City  Hall,  by  George 
William  Curtis,  December  12th.  His  subject  was  Young 
America,  and  for  an  hour  and  a  half  the  speaker  entranced  his 
audience  with  his  noble  thought  and  pure  diction.  After  refer- 
ring to  the  Alps,  Mr.  Curtis  said :  "But  there  are  loftier  mount- 
ains than  the  Alps;  there  is  a  lovelier  landscape  than  that 
unfolded  by  Italy,  with  all  its  richness  and  all  its  beauty.  There 
is  a  land  more  beautiful,  more  voluptuous,  more  soul-satisfy- 
ing ;  a  region  far  away,  but  which  every  man  has  visited ;  a 
paradise  into  which  no  care,  no  sorrow,  no  vice  ever  enters ; 
where  Barnburners  and  Hunkers  lie  down  together;  where  all 
heads  are  silver-gray,  woolly ;  where  painters  praise  each  oth- 
er's pictures ;  musicians  are  not  jealous  of  their  fellow  artists ; 
ladies  with  blue  do  not  dislike  brown  eyes  in  others ;  where 
musicians  on  wintry,  moonlight  nights,  serenading  delightful 
damsels,  blow  their  fingers  and  their  instruments  only  for  love. 
Millions  have  sailed  for  the  shores  of  this  fair  country,  with  the 
faith  of  a  Columbus  or  a  Franklin,  and  millions  have  failed  to 
reach  them ;  like  the  child  running  to  catch  the  setting  sun  only 
to  grasp  the  cold  grey  of  the  evening,  so  we  essay  to  gain  the 
favored  land ;  it  is  the  California  to  which  thousands  sail,  only 
to  get  wrecked  on  Cape  Horn ;  it  is  the  eyes  of  his  mistress  to 
the  ardent  lover,  just  before  she  jilted  him.  This  favored  land 
is  the  land  of  Fancy,  pictured  on  the  ardent  soul  of  youth." 

Horace  Greeley  followed  Mr.  Curtis.  His  theme  was  The 
Reforms  of  the  Age.  He  spoke  of  the  abolition  and  temperance 
movements,  woman's  rights,  and  the  abolition  of  the  death 
penalty.  Mr.  Greeley  wrote  his  impressions  of  the  Hock  river 
valley  at  some  length  for  the  New  York  Tribune,  from  which 
this  characteristic  paragraph  is  taken :  "1  have  traversed  the 
Roman  Campana  (which  is  only  a  great  wet  prairie  surcharged 


328         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

with  malaria  and  ruins),  glanced  at  the  great  pastures  of  Bel- 
gium, and  ridden  across  the  prairies  of  central  and  northern 
Indiana  by  daylight,  lamplight,  and  moonlight;  but  still  I 
was  nowhere  in  a  discussion  of  the  value  and  attractiveness  of 
prairies — for  I  had  never  been  on  Rock  river.  But  now,  gentle- 
men !  I  give  you  fair  warning  that  I  take  a  back  seat  no  longer 
when  the  felicities  of  western  life  and  the  genial  fertility  and 
Eden-like  character  of  the  prairies  is  under  discussion — for  I 
have  been  on  Rock  river!  .  .  I  should  like  more  springs,  more 
running  streams,  and  less  lime  in  the  water ;  but  then  Paradise 
is  beyond  Jordan,  or  some  other  stream,  and  is  not  wisely 
sought  even  on  Rock  river." 

The  next  speaker  was  Prof.  Joseph  Emerson,  of  Beloit,  who 
spoke  on  Greek  Civilization.  W.  H.  Channing  was  announced 
for  January  27th,  but  no  reference  to  the  lecture  is  found. 

Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  delivered  the  seventh  lecture  in  the 
course  February  3,  1854,  in  Warner's  Hall.  "Emerson's 
lecture,"  says  H.  H.  Waldo,  "was  not  without  its  comical  fea- 
tures. His  subject  was  History.  I  believe  it  was  the  same  as 
his  essay  with  that  title.  One  scintillation  was  this:  'Time 
vanishes  to  shining  ether  the  solid  angularity  of  facts.  Carth- 
age was,  but  is  not.'  This  was  only  saying  there  was  nothing 
permanent.  He  gave  this  thought  in  a  matter-of-fact  style. 
The  hall  was  packed,  but  half  the  audience  were  sleepy.  The 
lecture  was  pronounced  by  some  to  be  a  failure." 

Lectures  were  given  during  this  season  by  Bishop  Potter, 
Chancellor  Lathrop;  Judge  Doolittle,  of  Wisconsin,  on  The 
Character  of  Washington;  Bayard  Taylor,  two  lectures,  on 
the  Arabs,  and  Japan  and  the  Japanese.  March  27,  1854,  Ole 
Bull  and  Patti  were  in  Rockford. 

The  course  for  1854-55  included  Rev.  E.  H.  Chapin,  Josiah 
Quincy,  John  G.  Saxe,  John  Pierpont,  James  Russell  Lowell, 
and  Bayard  Taylor.  Dr.  Chapin  spoke  on  Modern  Chivalry; 
Mr.  Saxe  gave  a  poem-lecture  on  Yankee  Land ;  John  Pierpont's 
theme  was  The  Golden  Calf ;  Lowell  spoke  on  English  Ballads, 
and  Bayard  Taylor,  on  India. 

The  course  of  1855-56  was  opened  by  Henry  Ward  Beecher, 
who  spoke  on  Patriotism.  He  was  followed  by  Wendell  Phil- 
lips. T.  Sarr  King  and  Dr.  Chapin  were  engaged  for  this  course. 

During  the  next  few  years  Rockford  was  favored  with  P.  A. 
Shillaber,  Park  Goodwin,  John  B.  Gough,  and  Prof.  Youmans. 

In  1860  the  Young  Men's  Association  ceased  to  exist. 


CHAPTER  LXIV. 

A  FRAGMENT  OF  POLITICAL  HISTORY. — ROCKFORD  BANKS. — NOTES. 

p\OCKFORD  has  claimed  the  honor  of  the  birthplace  of  the 
rx  Republican  party,  so  far  as  a  congressional  nomination 
under  that  name  is  concerned.  "Seven  cities  fought  for  Homer 
dead ; "  likewise  many  places  have  contended  for  the  honor  of 
the  first  party  organization.  Rockford's  claim  to  the  first  con- 
gressional nomination  is  certainly  not  unreasonable;  and  even 
if  it  cannot  be  sustained,  it  will  at  least  call  attention  to  a  not- 
able political  event. 

When  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill  was  passed  by  congress  in 
May,  1854,  there  was  a  general  feeling  in  the  old  Whig  and 
Democratic  parties  that  the  encroachments  of  the  slave-power 
demanded  more  vigorous  resistance.  With  this  end  in  view, 
a  call  was  issued  August  8th,  to  the  voters  of  the  First  Con- 
gressional district,  for  a  mass  meeting  to  be  held  in  Rockford 
on  the  30th  instant.  This  call  was  signed  by  forty-six  citizens 
of  Rockford,  only  five  of  whom  are  now  living.  The  meeting 
was  called  to  order  in  the  courthouse,  and  from  there  adjourned 
to  the  grove  west  of  the  Baptist  church,  between  Court  and 
Winnebago  streets.  E.  B.  Washburne  had  been  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  congress  as  a  Whig  two  years  before,  and  was  of  course 
a  candidate  for  re-election.  There  were  other  Richmonds  in  the 
field :  Turner  and  Sweet,  of  Freeport ;  Loop,  of  Rockford ;  and 
Hurlbut,  of  Belvidere.  None  of  these  were  openly  avowed  can- 
didates; but  each  was  anxious  for  the  prize.  A  committee  on 
resolutions  of  one  from  each  county  was  nominated.  There  was 
ambition  mixed  with  patriotism.  It  was  a  time  of  breaking  up 
of  old  parties,  and  the  future  was  uncertain.  How  far  would 
it  be  safe  to  declare  against  the  action  of  congress?  This  was 
a  serious  question.  The  leaders  were  against  Washburne,  but 
the  people  were  with  him.  There  is  a  tradition  that  the  com- 
mittee on  resolutions  was  directed  somewhat  by  the  suggestions 
of  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut,  in  preparing  anti-slavery  resolutions  so 
radical  that  Mr.  Washburne,  it  was  thought,  could  not  accept 
a  nomination  upon  them.  But  Mr.  Washburne  was  equal  to 


330          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFURD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

the  occasion.  He  declared  that  the  resolutions  met  his  most 
hearty  approval;  whereupon  James  Loop  remarked,  in  lan- 
guage more  emphatic  than  pious,  that  Washburne  would  swal- 
low anything.  Mr.  Washburne  was  thereupon  nominated  as  a 
Republican  by  this  mass  convention. 

The  regular  Whig  convention  for  the  district  was  held  Sep- 
tember 6th,  and  Mr.  Washburne  was  also  made  the  nominee. 
His  nomination  was  opposed  by  Mr.  Hurlbut,  who  on  the  day 
of  the  convention  is  reported  to  have  said :  "When  you  say  that 
E.  B.  Washburne  is  a  good  man,  I  agree  with  you.  But  when 
you  say  he  is  a  wise  man  and  a  statesman,  there  is  a  chance  for 
an  argument.  It  has  been  said  Mr.  Washburne  is  a  man  of 
learning.  But  I  say  that  as  a  man  of  learning,  E.  B.  Washburne, 
of  Fever  river,  Galena,  possesses  frightful  limitations."  Mr. 
Hurlbut  was  a  consummate  master  of  sarcasm,  which  he  often 
used  without  mercy.  But  it  has  been  said  that  while  Hurlbut 
could  make  the  better  speech,  Washburne  won  the  votes ;  and 
on  the  whole,  he  was  the  more  successful  politician. 

In  the  evening  Mr.  Washburne  entertained  his  friends  at  a 
banquet  at  the  City  Hotel.  Some  time  after  this  Whig  conven- 
tion, Mr.  Hurlbut  met  H.  H.  Waldo,  who  had  supported  Mr. 
Washburne,  and  complimented  him  on  his  splendid  fight,  and 
said  that,  considering  the  material  at  hand,  he  had  done  well. 

Thus  was  made  one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  very  first,  Repub- 
lican nomination  for  member  of  congress.  The  strong  anti- 
slavery  sentiment  of  both  parties  had  been  intensified  by  the 
repeal  of  the  Missouri  compromise,  under  the  leadership  of  Ste- 
phen A.  Douglas,  and  the  passage  of  the  Illinois  Black  Laws, 
through  the  influence  of  John  A.  Logan.  Like  Saul  of  Tarsus 
before  he  saw  a  great  light,  Logan  was  dominated  by  prejudice ; 
and,  like  Paul  after  his  change,  he  bravely  befriended  those  he 
formerly  oppressed.  General  Logan  always  had  the  courage 
of  his  convictions ;  and  his  political  change  was  sincere. 

In  1854  Mr.  Hurlbut  thought  he  could  take  a  more  radical 
position  on  the  slavery  question  than  Mr.  Washburne.  He  had 
left  the  south  because  he  was  in  sympathy  with  northern  prin- 
ciples. Stephen  A.  Hurlbut  was  born  in  Charleston,  South  Car- 
olina, in  1 815,  and  settled  in  Belvidere  in  1845.  He  was  the 
son  of  a  Unitarian  clergyman,  and  a  brother  of  William  Henry 
Hurlbut,  for  many  years  editor-in-chief  of  the  New  York  World. 
He  was  commissioned  a  brigadier-general  in  1861,  commanded 
the  Fourth  division  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  and  for  that  service 


STEPHEN  A.  HURLBUT— ROCKFORD  BANKS.  331 

he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major-general,  and  assigned 
to  the  command  of  the  Department  of  the  Gulf.  General  Hurl- 
but  was  the  first  commander-in-chief  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic;  was  appointed  minister  resident  to  the  United  States 
of  Columbia,  by  President  Grant.  From  1873  to  1877  he  rep- 
resented the  Fourth  district  in  congress.  In  1881  General 
Hurlbut  was  appointed  United  States  minister  to  Peru,  and 
died  at  Lima  in  the  spring  of  the  following  year.  Abraham 
Lincoln  once  said  that  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut  was  the  ablest  ora- 
tor on  the  stump  that  Illinois  had  ever  produced. 

Edward  D.  Baker,  E.  B.  Washburne,  John  F.  Farnsworth, 
Stephen  A.  Hurlbut  and  Robert  R.  Hitt  were  men  of  national 
reputation  who  have  served  the  several  districts  in  which  Rock- 
ford  has  from  time  to  time  been  located.  This  record  is  scarcely 
less  notable  than  that  of  the  old  Western  Reserve  district,  which 
was  represented  by  Elisha  Whittlesey,  Joshua  R.  Giddings  and 
James  A.  Garfield,  whose  terms  aggregated  fifty-one  years. 

The  banking  house  of  Spafford,  Clark  &  Ellis  was  founded 
in  November,  1854.  The  firm  consisted  of  C.  H.  Spafford,  Dr. 
D.  G.  Clark,  and  E.  F.  W.  Ellis.  Dr.  Clark  came  to  Rockford  in 
1848.  Two  years  later  he  went  to  California,  and  returned  in 
1853.  Dr.  Clark  died  October  4,  1861.  Spafford,  Clark  &  Ellis 
did  business  in  the  stone  building  on  the  alley,  on  the  south 
side  of  State,  between  Main  and  Church,  now  owned  by  Hon.  E. 

B.  Sumner.    This  bank  went  into  liquidation,  and  Mr.  Spafford 
paid  its  obligations  in  full. 

In  1854  was  also  established  the  banking  house  of  Briggs, 
Spafford,  &  Penfield,  in  East  Rockford,  which  became  the  Third 
National  Bank.  The  members  of  the  firm  were  C.  C.  Briggs,  A. 

C.  Spafford,  and  David  Penfield. 

January  1,  1855,  the  banking  firm  of  Dickerman,  Wheeler 
&  Company  began  business  on  West  State  street.  The  firm 
consisted  of  W.  A.  Dickerman,  Buel  G.  Wheeler,  G.  A.  Sanford, 
R.  P.  Lane.  This  house  became  the  Second  National  Bank. 

Fuller  &  Tomkins  began  banking  business  in  the  Worthing- 
ington  Block,  East  Rockford,  in  1853.  The  firm  consisted  of 
A.  C.  and  E.  L.  Fuller,  and  Enos  and  N.  C.  Tomkins,  all  of 
Belvidere.  The  firm  was  later  called  E.  L.  Fuller  &  Company. 

E.  H.  Potter  &  Company  and  Edward  N.  Kitchel  were  also 
in  the  banking  business  on  the  East  side.  These  banks,  with 
Roberson  &  Holland,  founded  in  1848,  and  Mr.  Horsman's 


332         HISTORY  Of   ROCKFORD  AND   WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

bank,  established  in  1852,  and  which  have  been  noted  in  preced- 
ingchapters,  complete  the  roster  of  Rockford  banks  to  1861.  It 
was  a  day  of  unstable  currency,  when  "wild-cat"  money  was 
abundant,  but  worthless.  This  fact  made  banking  a  precarious 
business  as  compared  with  the  splendid  system  of  today. 

In  1852  the  first  party  of  Swedish  emigrants  arrived  in 
Rockford.  They  left  their  native  land  with  no  thought  of  com- 
ing to  this  city.  Some  were  destined  for  Chicago,  but  upon 
arriving  there,  they  were  told  there  were  better  opportunities 
in  the  country.  About  twenty-five  came  to  Rockford  in  1852. 
Among  these  were  S.  A.  Johnson,  John  Nelson,  Andrew  Hollem, 
P.  G.  Hollem,  Alexander  Anderson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jonas  Hokan- 
son,  P.  A.  Peterson,  Sr.,  and  wife,  P.  A.  Peterson,  Jr.,  Glaus 
Peterson.  John  Stibb  came  in  1854.  His  son,  Frank  G.,  was 
the  first  male  born  in  Rockford  of  Swedish  parents,  and  Mrs. 
Augusta  Lind,  daughter  of  Jonas  Anderson,  was  the  first 
female.  Emigrants  continued  to  arrive  annually  for  some 
years.  The  cholera  in  1853-54  checked  emigration,  and  later 
the  civil  war  had  the  same  result ;  and  it  was  not  until  1867 
that  the  greatest  Swedish  emigration  was  reached  in  a  single 
year.  The  Swedish  early  settlers  have  a  society,  whose  records 
are  kept  in  their  native  language. 

In  June,  1852,  the  Rock  River  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Com- 
pany was  granted  a  charter  by  the  legislature.  The  company 
did  quite  a  business  for  a  time,  but  it  was  finally  unsuccessful. 

In  1853  the  three-story,  double-store  brick  block  on  the 
southwest  corner  of  State  and  First  streets,  was  built  by  Abra- 
ham I.  Enoch,  and  his  brother-in-law,  Daniel  Davis.  Mr.  Davis 
was  a  "forty-niner,"  and  returned  from  California  with  quite  an 
amount  of  ready  money. 

At  the  election  in  November,  1854,  Wait  Talcott  was  elected 
state  senator;  William  Lyman,  reprepresentative ;  John  F. 
Taylor,  sheriff;  A.  A.  Chamberlain,  sheriff. 

Under  a  statute  of  February  27,  1854,  the  judge  of  the 
county  court  of  Winnebago  county  was  given  jurisdiction  in 
law  and  chancery,  where  the  amount  involved  did  not  exceed 
one  thousand  dollars.  This  law  was  repealed  February  12, 1863. 

The  earnings  of  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  railroad  for 
August,  1854,  were  $103,000.  The  earnings  for  the  corres- 
ponding month  the  preceding  year  were  $48,000. 


CHAPTER  LXV. 

ROCKFORD   SETTLERS  1851-54. 

IN  the  early  history  of  the  county,  Rockton,  by  reason  of  its 
water-power,  was  a  rival  of  Rockford.  As  the  latter  began 
to  forge  more  rapidly  to  the  front,  several  of  the  settlers  of 
Rockton  from  time  to  time  sought  the  larger  opportunities  of  the 
county  seat.  This  exodus  from  the  northern  neighbor  might  be 
called  the  Rockton  migration.  Among  those  who  came  from 
Rockton  to  Rockford  were  James  M.  and  J.  Ambrose  Wight 
and  William  Hulin,  to  whom  reference  has  been  made  in  early 
chapters,  and  Seely  Perry,  Jesse  Blinn  and  Wait  Talcott. 

Seely  Perry  was  born  at  Stockbridge,  Massachusetts, 
August  22,  1822,  and  was  graduated  from  Union  college  at 
Schenectady  in  1845.  Mr.  Perry  came  to  Rockton  in  1849,  and 
in  1851  he  settled  in  Rockford.  After  teaching  one  year  he 
engaged  in  the  lumber  trade,  in  which  he  has  continued  for 
nearly  half  a  century.  In  1846  Mr.  Perry  married  Elizabeth 
Benedict,  who  died  in  1874.  She  was  the  mother  of  Lewis  Seely, 
and  Mrs.  Eva  Moore,  of  St.  Louis.  In  1876  Mr.  Perry  married 
Marie  Thompson.  They  have  one  daughter,  Miss  Marie.  Mr. 
Perry  was  elected  mayor  of  Rockford  in  1858  and  served  one 
term.  He  is  now  the  oldest  living  ex-mayor  of  the  city.  Mr. 
Perry  has  also  served  the  city  as  alderman,  member  of  the 
board  of  education,  and  a  director  of  the  public  library. 

Jesse  Blinn  was  born  in  1809  in  Vermont,  and  from  there 
he  removed  to  Conneaut,  Ohio.  He  came  to  Rockton  in  1838 ; 
in  1850  he  settled  in  Rockford,  and  his  family  a  year  later.  He 
opened  the  first  exclusive  hardware  store  in  the  city.  His  stock 
invoiced  $10,000.  He  subsequently  became  a  manufacturer  on 
the  water-power,  to  which  reference  has  been  made.  Mr.  Blinn 
died  in  1879.  Mrs.  Blinn  is  a  native  of  New  Hampshire.  She  is 
descended  from  Lord  James  Louden,  whose  estate  is  still  pre- 
served in  Scotland.  Mrs.  Blinn  has  some  autograph  lines  writ- 
ten by  Robert  Burns,  commemorating  his  visit  to  Louden  cas- 
tle. Joshua  R.  Giddings  was  entertained  at  Mr.  Blinn's  home 
when  he  made  a  political  address  in  Rockford  in  1854.  Mrs. 
Blinn  is  residing  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  H.  P.  Holland. 


334         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

Ralph  Emerson  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Ralph  Emerson,  a  Con- 
gregational clergyman,  and  a  professor  in  Andover  theologi- 
cal seminary,  the  oldest  Congregational  divinity  school  in  the 
country.  Another  son  is  Professor  Joseph  Emerson,  of  Beloit. 
Mr.  Emerson  was  born  in  Andover,  Massachusetts,  in  1831.  He 
came  to  Rockford  in  1852,  and  was  later  a  partner  with  Jesse 
Blinn  in  the  hardware  business  until  they  became  interested  in 
the  water-power.  The  Emerson  company  has  proved  one  of 
the  most  successful  manufacturers  in  the  west.  This  result  may 
be  attributed  to  Mr.  Emerson's  unusual  executive  ability.  He 
has  made  a  generous  use  of  his  large  wealth  in  contributions  to 
various  religious  enterprises.  Mr.  Emerson  married  Adaline 
Talcott,  a  daughter  of  Hon.  Wait  Talcptt.  They  have  had 
eight  children.  Two  sons  died  in  infancy,  and  in  1889  Ralph  was 
killed  by  falling  from  a  building  during  a  fire  on  the  water- 
power.  Their  daughters  are  Mrs.  Adaline  E.  Thompson,  Mrs. 
Harriet  E.  Hinchliff,  Mrs.  Mary  Lathrop,  Mrs.  Belle  E.  Keith, 
and  Mrs.  Dora  B.  Wheeler,  whose  husband  is  a  professor  of 
biology  in  the  University  of  Texas.  In  April,  1900,  Mrs.  Emer- 
son was  appointed  by  Governor  Tanner  to  represent  Illinois  as 
a  commissioner  at  the  Paris  exposition. 

Hon.  Wait  Talcott  was  a  son  of  William  Talcott,  and  was 
born  at  Hebron,  Connecticut,  October  17, 1807.  He  came  to 
Rockton  in  the  autumn  of  1838.  He  was  one  of  the  incor- 
porators  of  Beloit  college  and  Rockford  seminary.  In  1854  he 
came  to  Rockford  and  began  his  career  as  a  manufacturer  on 
the  water-power  with  his  brother,  Sylvester.  In  1854  he  was 
elected  state  senator  from  the  district  comprising  Winnebago, 
Carroll,  Boone  and  Ogle  counties.  Upon  the  passage  of  the  in- 
ternal revenue  act,  President  Lincoln  appointed  Mr.  Talcott 
commissioner  of  internal  revenue  for  the  Second  congressional 
district.  This  appointment  was  dated  August  27,  1862,  and 
Mr.  Talcott  served  five  years.  Mr.  Talcott  preserved  files  of 
Chicago  and  Rockford  newspapers,  and  upon  his  death,  which 
occurred  November  7,  1890,  his  sou  William  A.  Talcott,  pre- 
sented them  in  excellent  bound  condition  to  the  Rockford 
public  library. 

John  S.  Coleman  was  a  native  of  Delaware  county,  New 
York.  In  1851  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Rockford  and 
became  a  member  of  the  banking  firm  of  Robertson,  Coleman  & 
Company.  He  built  the  stone  house  on  North  Main  street,  now 
owned  by  William  Nelson.  Mr.  Coleman  was  a  trustee  of  Rock- 


JAMES  L.  LOOP-WILLIAM  LATHROP.  335 

ford  seminary  and  treasurer  of  the  board,  and  a  member  of  the 
city  council.  He  was  a  man  of  high  character  and  unostenta- 
tious life  and  manner,  and  his  death  was  deeply  mourned  by 
the  community.  Mr.  Coleman  died  April  6,  1864,  in  his  fifty- 
eighth  year. 

James  L.  Loop  was  born  in  Steuben  county,  New  York,  in 
1815.  He  settled  in  Belvidere  in  1838,  and  some  years  later  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law,  Stephen  A.  Hurl- 
but,  in  the  practice  of  law.  He  was  prosecuting  attorney  for  the 
northern  district  of  Illinois  in  1843-5.  From  1846  to  1850  Mr. 
Loop  was  secretary  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal,  which 
office  he  resigned.  In  1852  Mr.  Loop  removed  to  Rockford  and 
formed  a  law  partnership  with  William  Lathrop.  In  1856  he 
was  elected  mayor  of  Rockford  and  served  one  term.  Mr. 
Loop's  death  occurred  February  8,  1865,  when  he  was  fifty 
years  of  age.  The  remains  were  taken  to  Belvidere  for  burial. 
By  the  common  consent  of  the  Rockford  bar,  James  L.  Loop 
possessed  the  finest  legal  ability  of  any  man  who  ever  practiced 
in  this  city.  His  intellect  was  strong  and  his  resources  were  at 
his  instant  command.  His  grasp  of  legal  principles  was  due  to 
his  acute,  intuitive  sense  of  what  was  right  between  man  and 
man,  which  was  a  gift  from  nature.  Mr.  Loop  was  always  the 
genial  gentleman.  Like  so  many  other  gifted  men,  he  was  his 
own  worst  enemy,  and  his  sad,  untimely  death  was  an  impres- 
sive object  lesson  that  strong  drink  is  no  respecter  of  persons. 

William  Lathrop  is  a  native  of  Genesee  county,  New  York. 
He  came  to  Rockford  in  January,  1851.  He  was  a  partner  with 
James  L.  Loop  from  1853  to  1857.  In  1856  Mr.  Lathrop  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  legislature,  and  served  one  term.  In 
1876  he  succeeded  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut  as  member  of  congress 
from  the  Fourth  district,  and  served  one  term.  During  his  long 
residence  in  Rockford  Mr.  Lathrop  has  enjoyed  a  large  and 
lucrative  legal  practice.  His  clientele  has  come  from  the  influ- 
ential portion  of  the  community.  He  has  in  some  respects  the 
finest  law  library  in  the  city,  and  the  author  takes  pleasure  in 
acknowledging  his  obligations  to  Mr.  Lathrop  for  the  free  use  of 
his  library  and  for  information  personally  given.  Mr.  Lathrop 
married  Adaline  Potter,  a  daughter  of  E.  H.  Potter.  Their 
children  are  Mrs.  Anna  Case,  of  Charles  City,  Iowa ;  Miss  Julia, 
a  member  of  the  state  board  of  charities,  and  Edward,  Rob- 
ert and  William 

Hon.  John  Early  was  born  in  Middlesex  county,  Canada 


336  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

West,  March  17,  1828.  In  1846  he  removed  with  his  parents 
to  Boone  county,  and  in  1852  he  settled  in  Rockford.  He 
served  three  terms  as  assessor  of  Rockford.  In  1869  he  was 
appointed  one  of  the  first  board  of  trustees  of  the  reform  school 
at  Pontiac.  In  1870  Mr.  Early  was  elected  state  senator  from 
the  Twenty-third  district,  composed  of  Winnebago,  Boone, 
McHenry  and  Lake  counties.  His  senatorial  colleague  was 
General  Allen  C.  Fuller,  of  Belvidere.  After  the  state  had  been 
re-districted  he  was  elected  senator  in  1872,  from  the  Ninth 
district,  which  included  Winnebago  and  Boone  counties,  and 
again  in  1874,  for  the  full  term  of  four  years.  By  the  election 
of  Governor  Oglesby  to  the  United  States  senate  and  Lieuten- 
ant-Governor  Beveridge  becoming  governor,  Mr.  Early  became 
acting  lieutenant-governor  of  the  state.  Mr.  Early  died  Sep- 
tember 2,  1877.  He  was  father  of  A.  I),  and  John  H.  Early. 
Mrs.  Early  and  Miss  Bertha  reside  in  East  Rockford. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Edward  F.  W.  Ellis  was  born  in  Milton, 
Maine,  April  15, 1819.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Ohio. 
In  1849  he  went  to  California,  where  he  was  unsuccessful  in 
commercial  speculation,  and  resumed  the  practice  of  law;  in 
1851  he  was  a  member  of  the  California  legislature.  Colonel 
Ellis  came  to  Rockford  in  1854  and  became  a  member  of  the 
banking  firm  of  Spafford,  Clark  &  Ellis.  Upon  the  outbreak  of 
the  civil  war  Colonel  Ellis  raised  a  company  for  the  Fifteenth 
regiment,  called  the  Ellis  Rifles.  He  was  chosen  lieutentant- 
colonel,  but  was  acting  colonel  at  the  time  of  his  death.  At  the 
battle  of  Shiloh  he  was  in  command  of  the  Fifteenth,  which  be- 
longed to  General  Hurlbut's  division.  On  Monday  morning  his 
regiment  was  exposed  to  a  terrible  fire  and  Colonel  Ellis  was 
struck  in  the  breast  by  a  ball,  and  instantly  expired.  Colonel 
Ellis  was  a  tall,  noble-looking  man,  of  much  decision  of  charac- 
ter. The  city  of  Rockford  mourned  his  death  with  profound 
sorrow.  Colonel  Ellis'  home  was  the  historic  homestead  lately 
owned  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Fitch,  on  West  State  street.  In  1856  the 
property  was  transferred  to  Colonel  Ellis,  and  there  he  lived 
with  his  wife  and  children.  The  latter  were  Blanche,  now  Mrs. 
Chandler  Starr;  Alma  Hor tense,  now  Mrs.  Fisher,  of  California, 
and  Edward.  The  home  was  always  characterized  by  generous 
hospitality. 

Henry  P.  Kimball  was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  was 
graduated  from  Rochester  university.  Mr.  Kimball  came  to 
Rockford  in  1852,  and  taught  school  for  some  time.  He  had  a 


DISTINGUISHED  PUBLIC  SPEAKERS.  337 

local  reputation  as  a  horticulturist.  As  secretary  of  the  Agri- 
cultural Society,  Mr.  Kimball  achieved  a  unique  distinction  as 
a  successful  fair  advertiser.  Upon  his  invitation  many  of  the 
most  distinguished  men  of  the  last  generation  visited  Rockford 
and  made  addresses.  Among  these  were  General  Grant,  Attor- 
ney-General Taft,  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  John  A.  Logan,  Chief- 
Justice  Waite,  General  Martindale,  Wade  Hampton,  James  R. 
Doolittle,  Matt  Carpenter,  Benjamin  F.  Taylor  and  Will  Carle- 
ton.  In  1875  Mr.  Kimball  invited  Jefferson  Davis  to  deliver  an 
address.  This  invitation  created  such  excitement  that  Mr.  Davis 
withdrew  his  acceptance.  Mr.  Kimball  married  Miss  Ellen,  a 
daughter  of  Dr.  George  Haskell.  Their  sons  are  Dr.  Frank  EL, 
Willis  M.,  and  Carl  Kimball.  Mr.  Kimball  died  May  10, 1889, 
when  sixty  years  of  age. 

John  Nelson  was  a  native  of  West  Gothland,  Sweden,  born 
April  5, 1830.  He  came  to  Rockford  in  1852.  His  life  was 
uneventful  until  a  short  time  before  his  death,  when  he  perfected 
the  Nelson  knitting  machine,  which  revolutionized  the  knitting 
of  hosiery.  After  General  Grant  had  returned  from  his  tour 
around  the  world,  he  visited  Mr.  Nelson's  factory,  and  declared 
that  he  had  never  seen  such  perfect  machinery  for  this  purpose. 
Mr.  Nelson  died  April  15, 1883.  The  Hotel  Nelson  is  named  in 
his  honor. 

A.  E.  Goodwin,  M.  D.,  was  born  August  11,  1827,  at  Chel- 
sea, Vermont.  He  was  graduated  from  Berkshire  medical  col- 
lege at  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts.  Dr.  Goodwin  came  to  Rock- 
ford  in  1854.  During  the  civil  war  he  was  a  surgeon  in  the  Elev- 
enth Illinois  infantry  and  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighth.  He 
was  wounded  at  Vicksburg.  Dr.  Goodwin  was  a  member  of  the 
city  board  of  education  and  of  the  public  library  board.  Dr. 
Goodwin  died  May  14, 1889.  His  only  surviving  child  is  Mrs. 
Robert  Rew. 

Chester  C.  Briggs  was  a  native  of  Vermont.  He  was  born 
in  Dover,  September  6,  1817.  He  was  graduated  from  Dart- 
mouth college,  and  edited  the  Green  Mountain  Freeman,  an 
anti-slavery  paper.  In  1853  Mr.  Briggs  came  to  Rockford  and 
became  the  senior  member  of  the  banking  firm  of  Briggs,  Spaf- 
ford  &  Penfield.  He  was  subsequently  financial  manager  of 
the  Kenosha Railroad  company.  In  1868  he  became  associated 
with  the  firm  of  Briggs,  Mead  &  Skinner,  in  the  manufacture 
of  agricultural  implements.  The  firm  name  was  later  changed 
to  Briggs  &  Enoch.  Mr.  Briggs  died  January  24, 1892. 


338  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  A.\D  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

James  G.  Manlove  was  a  native  of  Dover,  Delaware,  where 
he  was  born  December  15, 1812.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  Wisconsin,  and  settled  in  Rockford  in  1851,  and  began  the 
practice  of  law.  He  held  the  offices  of  police  magistrate,  justice 
of  the  peace,  town  clerk  and  alderman,  and  the  confidence 
which  the  people  reposed  in  him  is  attested  by  his  repeated 
elections  as  town  clerk  and  justice  of  the  peace.  Mr.  Manlove 
died  November  6, 1891. 

Robert  P.  Lane,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Hopewell,  Bedford 
county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1818.  He  studied  medicine  with  an 
uncle  in  his  native  state.  Dr.  Lane  came  to  Rockford  in  1851. 
He  was  a  leader  in  the  organization  of  the  Rockford  water- 
power  company,  and  gave  his  personal  attention  to  the  con- 
struction of  the  dam.  He  was  a  member  of  the  banking  firm  of 
Lane,  Sanford  &  Company ;  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Second 
National  bank,  and  continuously  served  as  its  president  from 
1864  until  1881,  when  he  resigned  to  accept  the  presidency  of 
the  Rockford  Insurance  Company.  He  had  a  fine  personal 
presence  and  unusual  suavity.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the 
library  board  and  was  senior  warden  of  the  Episcopal  church 
for  forty  years.  Dr.  Lane  died  March  7,  1891. 

Anthony  Haines  was  a  native  of  Marietta,  Pennsylvania, 
born  April  21,  1829.  He  came  to  Rockford  in  1854,  and 
formed  a  partnership  with  Elisha  A.  Kirk  for  buying  and  ship- 
ping grain  over  the  Kenosha  railroad.  In  1880  he,  with  other 
gentlemen,  organized  the  Rockford  Street  Railway  company,  of 
which  he  was  elected  president  and  general  manager.  Mr. 
Haines,  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1898,  was  vice-president  of 
the  Manufacturers  National  Bank. 

Charles  O.  Upton  was  born  in  North  Reading,  Massachusetts, 
in  1832,  and  came  to  Rockford  in  1854.  Mr.  Upton  has  been 
prominent  in  the  banking  business  of  the  city.  He  was  a  direc- 
tor of  the  Second  National  bank  twenty  years  and  the  last  two 
years  was  its  vice-president.  In  1889  he  led  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Manufacturers  National  Bank,  and  was  its  presi- 
dent ten  years.  Mr.  Upton  served  the  public  in  the  city  council, 
on  the  county  board,  and  as  treasurer  of  Rockford  one  term. 
He  now  resides  in  Chicago. 

Carlton  W.  Sheldon  is  a  native  of  New  York,  born  in.  Victor 
March  14, 1828.  He  came  to  Rockford  in  1852,  entered  the 
law  office  of  Jason  Marsh,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the 
autumn  of  the  same  year.  In  1869  he  entered  the  employ  of 


LEADER  IN  FOUNDING  LIBRARY.  380 

the  Rockford  Insurance  Company  as  adjuster,  and  remained 
five  years,  and  in  1874  he  was  elected  secretary  of  the  Forest 
City  Insurance  company,  and  held  this  position  five  years, 
when  he  resumed  the  practice  of  law.  Mr.  Sheldon  has  four  chil- 
dren: Charles  E.,  George,  Mrs.  Dora  S.  Hart,  and  Miss  Ethel. 

Isaac  Utter  was  a  native  of  New  York.  He  came  to  Rock- 
ford  in  1852,  and  formed  a  partnership  with  Orlando  Clark,  on 
the  water-power.  For  twenty-one  years  he  was  associated 
with  Levi  Rhoades,  in  the  manufacture  of  paper.  Mr.  Utter 
was  a  stockholder  in  the  People's  Bank  and  in  the  Wiunebago 
and  the  Second  National.  He  was  a  man  of  great  enersry,  and 
good  judgment  in  business  affairs.  Mr.  Utter  died  May  7, 
1888.  He  was  father  of  Mrs.  J.  M.  Fraley. 

Alexander  D.  Forbes  was  born  in  Perthshire,  Scotland, 
December  13,  1831.  He  came  to  Rockford  in  1854,  and  in 
partnership  with  his  father,  Duncan  Forbes,  began  busi- 
ness on  the  water-power.  In  1864  they  established  the  first 
malleable  iron  works  west  of  Cincinnati.  The  father  died  in 
1871.  Mr.  Forbes  is  now  president  of  the  People's  bank. 

Major  Elias  Cosper  was  born  in  Worcester,  Ohio,  in  1824. 
He  came  to  Rockford  in  1854,  and  entered  the  banking  house 
of  Robertson,  Coleman  &  Company,  as  teller,  and  in  1857  he 
became  its  cashier.  Upon  the  outbreak  of  the  civil  war  Mr. 
Cosper  sold  his  interest  in  the  bank  and  entered  the  service 
with  Company  E,  Seventy-fourth  regiment.  After  the  battle  of 
Chickamauga  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major  and  pay- 
master of  the  army.  Upon  his  return  to  civil  life,  Mr.  Cosper, 
in  company  with  T.  D.  Robertson,  Melancthon  Starr,  and  John 
P.  Manny,  organized  the  John  P.  Manny  Reaper  Company,  and 
was  its  manager.  Since  1874  Mr.  Cosper  has  been  connected 
with  the  Rockford  Tack  Company,  and  is  its  secretary  and 
treasurer.  Mr.  Cosper  may  be  called  the  father  of  the  public 
library.  He  spent  much  time  in  soliciting  subscriptions  and 
was  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors  for  more  than  twenty 
years.  Mr.  Cosper  has  a  fine  private  library  of  about  thirteen 
hundred  volumes. 

John  G.  Pen  field  is  a  native  of  Vermont  and  settled  in 
Rockford  in  1854.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  continuously  in 
business  as  a  broker  and  dealer  in  real  estate  and  insurance. 
Mrs.  Penfield  gave  the  lot  to  the  First  Congregational  church  on 
which  the  parsonage  now  stands.  They  have  three  daughters: 
Mrs.  Charles  E.  Sheldon,  Mrs.  Helen  Revelle  and  Miss  Kate. 


340          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

William  A.  Knowlton  was  a  native  of  Chautauqua  county, 
New  York,  and  removed  to  the  west  when  a  young  man.  He 
came  to  Kockford  in  1853  from  Freeport,  Illinois.  After  the 
death  of  J.  H.  Manny,  Mr.  Knowlton  became  business  agent 
for  Mrs.  Manny.  He  retained  this  position  several  years,  and 
was  eminently  successful.  Mr.  Knowlton  was  subsequently 
engaged  in  various  manufacturing  enterprises.  He  sustained 
financial  reverses,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1891  he  removed  to 
Chicago,  where  he  died  September  17th  of  the  following  year. 
Mr.  Kuowlton  was  sixty  years  of  age.  His  surviving  family 
consisted  of  Mrs.  Knowlton  and  five  children :  Mrs.  Helen  Gib- 
son, Mrs.  Fred  S.  Hardy,  Misses  Evaline  and  Mary,  and  William 
A.  Knowlton,  Jr.  Miss  Evaline  recently  died  in  the  east. 

John  P.  Manny  was  born  in  Amsterdam,  New  York,  March 
8, 1823.  He  settled  at  Waddam's  Grove,  Stephenson  county, 
in  1842.  He  came  to  Rockford  in  1852,  and  for  several  years 
he  manufactured  knife  sections  for  J.  H.  Manny's  machines. 
Early  in  the  sixties  he  perfected  several  inventions,  which  were 
handled  by  N.  C.  Thompson.  After  the  war  Mr.  Manny  became 
interested  in  the  John  P.  Manny  Company,  in  which  he  was 
associated  with  Elias  Cosper,  T.  D.  Robertson  and  Melancthon 
Starr.  This  company  and  Mr.  Thompson  paid  him  royalties 
upon  his  inventions,  and  the  Mississippi  river  was  the  dividing 
line  between  their  respective  territories.  Mr.  Manny's  income 
from  this  source  was  at  one  time  forty  thousand  dollars  ayear. 
He  purchased  the  John  S.  Coleman  estate  on  North  Main  street, 
which  was  his  home  for  many  years.  This  property  is  now 
owned  by  William  Nelson.  While  residing  at  Waddam's  Grove 
Mr.  Manny  married  Miss  Eunice  Hicks.  George  J.  was  their 
only  son  who  attained  his  majority.  He  died  in  1892,  leaving 
one  son,  Dwight,  an  employe  of  the  Winnebago  National  Bank. 
Miss  Florida  Manny,  a  daughter,  is  also  a  resident  of  the  city. 
Mrs.  J.  P.Manny  died  in  1864,  and  in  1867  Mr.  Manny  married 
a  daughter  of  Melancthon  Starr.  They  had  four  children :  Mrs. 
Charles  Sackett,  John  Starr  Manny,  Virginia  and  Henry  Manny. 
Mr.  Manny  died  November  16, 1897. 

Among  other  well-known  citizens  who  came  to  Rockford 
during  this  period  were :  Horace  Brown,  T.  J.  L.  Remington, 
1850;  J.  M.  Southgate,  Andrew G. Lo wry,  Horace Buker,  1852; 
Jacob  Hazlett,  D.  A.  Barnard,  Samuel  Ferguson,  1853  ;  Henry 
Fisher,  Melancthon  Smith,  T.  W.  Carrico,  William  and  George  R. 
Forbes,  1854. 


CHAPTER  LXVI. 

THE  FREE  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  SYSTEM. 

THE  free  public  school  system  of  Illinois  dates  from  1855. 
In  December,  1853,  a  large  common  school  convention  met 
at  Jersey  ville,  composed  of  many  ad  joining  counties,  andoneat 
Bloomington,  for  the  whole  state.  These  movements  produced 
results.  The  general  assembly,  which  met  the  following  Febru- 
ary, separated  the  office  of  state  superintendent  of  public 
instruction  from  that  of  secretary  of  state,  and  made  it  a  dis- 
tinct department  of  the  state  government.  The  state  superin- 
tendent was  required  to  draft  a  bill  embodying  a  system  of  free 
education  for  all  the  children  of  the  state,  and  report  to  the 
next  general  assembly.  March  15,  1854,  Governor  Matteson 
appointed  Hon.  N.  W.  Edwards,  state  superintendent.  In  the 
following  January  Mr.  Edwards  presented  a  bill  which  became  a 
law  February  15,  1855.  For  state  purposes  the  school  tax  was 
fixed  at  two  mills  on  the  one  hundred  dollars.  To  this  was 
added  the  interest  from  the  permanent  school  fund .  A  free  school 
was  required  to  be  maintained  for  at  least  six  months  in  each 
year,  and  it  was  made  imperative  upon  the  directors  of  every 
school  district  to  levy  the  necessary  tax.  Thus  the  free  school 
system  of  Illinois  began  when  the  taxing  power  of  the  state 
was  invoked  in  its  behalf. 

The  school  law  was  bitterly  opposed,  and  narrowly  escaped 
repeal.  Sir  William  Berkeley,  the  royal  governor  of  Virginia, 
said  in  1670 :  "  I  thank  God  there  are  no  free  schools  nor  print- 
ing, and  I  hope  we  shall  not  have  these  hundred  years."  The 
spirit  of  this  pious  wish  prevailed  in  southern  Illinois  ;  and 
there  was  a  repetition  of  the  old  conflict  between  the  two  dis- 
tinct classes  of  people  in  the  two  portions  of  the  state.  The 
southern  portion  was  poor,  while  the  northern  portion  was  well- 
to-do  ;  and  it  was  only  as  it  was  made  to  appear  to  the  south- 
ern portion  that  it  was  receiving  more  from  the  state  school 
fund  than  it  was  contributing,  that  the  people  acquiesced  in  the 
law. 


342  HISTORY  OF  BOCKFOBD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

The  charter  of  1854  had  conferred  upon  the  city  council  of 
Rockford  full  power  over  its  schools.  June  20, 1855,  the  coun- 
cil passed  its  first  school  ordinance  under  the  new  school  law. 
The  city  was  divided  into  two  school  districts:  East  side, 
number  one;  West  side,  number  two.  A  board  of  school  in- 
spectors was  appointed,  consisting  of  George  Haskell,  A.  S.  Mil- 
ler, and  Jason  Marsh,  after  whom  the  Marsh  school  was  named. 
In  December  the  board  voted  to  purchase  of  A.  W.  Freeman 
his  lease  of  the  basement  of  the  First  Baptist  church  for  a  school 
in  district  number  two.  Mr.  Freeman  was  employed  to  teach  at 
$800  per  year.  At  the  same  time  H.  Sabin  was  engaged  for  the 
first  district,  and  the  old  court  house  on  the  East  side  was 
leased. 

The  council  had  provided  by  ordinance  for  a  school  agent 
for  each  district,  whose  acts  were  to  be  approved  by  the  coun- 
cil. July  27,  1855,  the  agent  for  the  first  district  was  author- 
ized to  purchase  from  Solomon  Wheeler,  the  tract  on  which 
the  Adams  school  now  stands.  September  10th  a  contract 
was  made  for  the  construction  of  the  building.  April  28, 
1856,  a  contract  was  made  for  a  schoolhouse  in  the  second  dis- 
trict, on  the  site  of  the  Lincoln  school ;  the  contractors  were  E. 
N.  House,  M.  H.  Regan,  and  James  B.  Howell.  The  progress 
of  the  buildings  was  delayed  by  unfavorable  weather,  and  the 
late  arrival  of  school  furniture. 

August  14,  1857,  in  the  afternoon  and  evening,  occurred 
the  formal  dedication  of  the  two  union  school  buildings. 
Previous  to  this  time  Rockford  had  no  schoolhouse  of  its  own. 

The  first  district  school  had  three  principals  from  1857  to 
1884.  The  first  was  Orlando  C.  Blackmer,  who  was  appointed 
March  10, 1857.  His  assistant  was  S.  F.  Penfield.  Mr.  Black- 
mer is  a  brother  of  Mrs.  N.  C.  Thompson.  He  is  now  living  at 
Oak  Park. 

Henry  Freeman,  Mr.  Blackmer's  successor,  is  a  native  of 
Massachusetts,  born  within  twenty  miles  of  Plymouth  Rock. 
He  was  graduated  from  Teachers'  seminary,  Andover,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1839,  and  taught  for  one  year  in  the  preparatory 
department.  Prof.  Freeman  began  his  life-work  as  principal  of 
the  high  school  at  Bridgeton,  New  York,  in  1840.  In  1845  he 
was  offered  the  principalship  of  Salem  academy,  at  Salem,  New 
Jersey,  where  he  remained  five  years,  until  he  was  elected  prin- 
cipal of  Wallkill  academy,  at  Middleton,  New  York.  In  1855 
he  was  called  to  the  position  of  principal  of  the  high  school  and 


HENRY  FREEMAN— OTHER  PRINCIPALS.  343 

superintendent  of  schools  of  Freeport,  Illinois.  In  1859  the 
board  of  school  inspectors  invited  Prof.  Freeman  to  take 
the  position  of  principal  and  superintendent  of  schools  of  East 
Rockford,  at  a  salary  of  one  thousand  dollars  a  year.  This 
position  he  filled  twenty-one  years,  until  he  resigned  in  1880. 
During  this  long  service  hundreds  of  pupils  came  under  the 
influence  of  the  principal.  Prof.  Freeman  had  high  ideals  of 
life,  and  his  strong  character  was  a  potent  factor  in  promot- 
ing that  which  was  for  the  best  interest  of  the  pupils.  His  con- 
scientious efforts  were  appreciated,  and  occasionally  his  former 
pupils  gather  informally  at  his  home  and  recall  reminiscences 
of  those  formative  years. 

The  third  and  last  principal  was  Prof.  McPherson,  who 
remained  until  1884.  George  G.  Lyon  was  chosen  principal 
of  the  Second  district  school,  March  10,  1857.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  E.  M.  Fernald,  E.  N.  Weller,  J.  H.  Blodgett,  and 
W.  W.  Stetson. 

October  21,  1861,  the  number  of  school  inspectors  was 
increased  from  three  to  five.  In  1884  the  city  of  Rockford  was 
made  one  school  district,  with  one  high  school,  in  pursuance  of 
an  ordinance  drawn  by  Hon.  Alfred  Taggart. 

Provision  was  made  for  the  construction  of  Kent  school- 
house  for  South  Rockford,  soon  after  the  arrangements  had 
been  made  for  the  East  and  West  side  schools.  This  school 
for  the  greater  part  of  the  intervening  time  has  been  in  charge 
of  one  man.  Prof.  O.  F.  Barbour,  a  native  of  Ohio,  came  to 
Rockford  in  1859,  and  was  for  a  time  engaged  in  the  dry  goods 
business.  In  September,  1866,  he  became  principal  of  the  Kent 
school,  and  has  retained  this  position  for  thirty-four  years. 
For  more  than  twenty  years  Mr.  Barbour  has  also  been  a 
member  of  the  library  board. 

The  general  law  of  1872  for  the  incorporation  of  cities  was 
silent  on  the  school  question,  and  when  Rockford  was  organ- 
ized under  the  general  law,  it  retained  the  school  features  of  ita 
special  charter.  School  boards  are  elected  by  popular  vote  in 
other  cities  of  the  state,  and  have  the  taxing  power.  Rockford 
stands  alone,  with  its  board  of  school  inspectors,  appointed  by 
the  mayor,  which  has  only  advisory  power.  No  subsequent 
statute  concerning  boards  of  education  will  apply  to  Rockford, 
and  it  would  require  new  legislation  at  Springfield  to  change 
the  board  from  an  appointive  to  an  elective  body. 


CHAPTER  LXVII. 

THE  FIRST  PUBLIC  LIBRARY. — WESLEY  AN  SEMINARY. 

The  agitation  for  a  public  library  began  in  1852.  Several 
years  elapsed,  however,  before  a  library  was  established,  and 
information  concerning  these  early  efforts  are  very  meagre. 

The  Sinissippi  Division  No.  134  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance, 
of  Rockford,  surrendered  its  charter  to  the  grand  division  April 
15,  1852.  Its  former  members  resolved  to  reorganize  under 
the  name  of  the  Rockford  Library  Association.  All  members 
of  the  division  who  had  paid  their  quarterly  dues  to  the  close 
of  the  preceding  quarter,  were  to  be  equal  sharers  in  the  library. 
A  request  was  made  in  the  Forum  of  April  21st  for  the  return 
of  all  books  belonging  to  the  library.  Thus,  so  far  as  known, 
the  first  circulating  library  was  the  small  number  of  books 
owned  by  the  Sons  of  Temperance.  The  Forum  of  October  27th 
published  a  call  for  a  meeting  of  the  trustees  of  the  Library 
Association  for  October  30th,  and  for  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
stockholders  on  the  first  Saturday  of  November.  No  other 
reference  to  the  library  is  found  immediately  thereafter. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Young  Men's  Association, 
September  11, 1855,  it  was  proposed  to  extend  its  sphere  of 
usefulness  by  providing  a  library  and  reading-room.  A  com- 
mittee of  three  was  appointed  to  confer  with  the  old  Library 
Association,  with  a  view  of  obtaining  its  books.  So  far  as  can 
be  learned,  this  effort  to  establish  a  library  and  reading-room 
was  not  successful. 

It  was  not  until  March,  1857,  that  the  first  successful  effort 
to  establish  a  library  was  made.  In  that  month  a  subscription 
paper  was  circulated,  with  the  following  statement  of  its  object : 

"We,  the  undersigned,  agree  to  take  the  number  of  shares 
set  opposite  our  names,  in  an  association  to  be  incorporated 
under  'the  general  law  of  this  state,  for  the  purpose  of  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  public  library  in  the  city  of  Rockford.  Said  library 
to  be  under  the  management  and  control  of  aboard  of  trustees, 
to  be  elected  by  the  stockholders. 


LIBRARY  CLOSED— HOOKS  SOLD  AT  AUCTION.  345 

"Shares  to  be  fifty  dollars  each.  Ten  dollars  per  share  pay- 
able upon  the  formation  of  the  association,  and  ten  dollars  per 
share  per  annum  thereafter,  in  such  amounts  and  at  such  times 
as  shall  be  determined  by  the  said  board  of  trustees.  Shares 
subject  to  forfeiture  by  the  trustees  for  non-payment  of  install- 
ments." 

The  first  four  names  upon  the  list  pledged  twelve  hundred 
dollars,  and  by  the  autumn  of  1858  six  thousand  dollars  had 
been  pledged.  William  L.  Rowland  collected  a  considerable 
portion  of  this  amount,  and  a  schedule  of  cash  payments  has 
been  preserved  by  him.  The  library  was  duly  organized  Octo- 
ber 14, 1858.  Rooms  were  secured  on  the  third  floor  of  Rob- 
ertson, Coleman  &  Company's  bank.  James  M.  Wight,  Seely 
Perry,  Selden  M.  Church,  Elias  Cosper,  and  Thomas  D.  Robert- 
son constituted  the  first  board  of  trustees ;  Elias  Cosper  was 
chairman;  Spencer  Rising,  treasurer;  F.  H.  Bradley,  librarian. 
The  original  board  was  composed  of  gentlemen  of  exceptional 
literary  equipment.  Others  rendered  efficient  aid  in  the  selection 
of  books.  Among  them  was  William  L.  Rowland,  who  was 
subsequently  apppointed  librarian  of  the  public  library.  The 
books,  although  few  in  number,  possessed  very  high  merit. 
The  number  of  volumes  at  this  time  was  about  one  thousand ; 
number  of  magazines  and  newspapers,  thirty-eight.  During 
the  next  few  years  the  library  steadily  received  accessions. 
According  to  the  annual  report  of  the  stockholders,  made  Octo- 
ber 11,  1860,  there  were  1,134  volumes.  There  had  been 
drawn  during  the  year  ending  October  4th,  1,669  volumes. 
This  was  an  increase  of  396  over  the  preceding  year.  Several 
gentlemen  acted  as  librarian  for  short  terms,  and  received  a 
nominal  compensation.  Among  those  who  rendered  this  ser- 
vice were  John  F.  Squier  and  Hosmer  P.  Holland. 

This  library  served  its  purpose  several  years;  but  during 
the  war  popular  interest  began  to  decline.  The  library  was 
finally  closed,  and  about  1865  the  books  were  sold  at  public 
auction  in  a  building  on  North  Main  street,  directly  north  of 
Mr.  Ash  ton's  block.  Some  of  these  books  are  now  in  the  public 
library,  and  quite  a  number,  in  excellent  condition,  are  in  the 
private  library  of  Robert  H.  Tinker.  The  first  library  was 
organized  under  a  general  law,  and  was  entirely  supported  by 
private  subscriptions  and  annual  fees.  It  was  not  until  1872 
that  the  legislature  enacted  a  law  which  provided  for  a  tax 
for  the  support  of  public  libraries. 


846          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND   W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

In  the  summer  of  1856  a  movement  was  begun  for  the 
founding  of  a  co-educational  seminary  in  Rockford,  under  the 
control  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  February  14, 1857, 
an  act  of  the  legislature  was  approved,  to  incorporate  the  Rock- 
ford  Wesley  an  seminary.  The  incorporators  were  E.  F.  W. 
Ellis,  T.  D.  Robertson,  D.  W.  Ticknor,  and  W.  F.  Stewart. 
There  were  to  be  twelve  trustees,  appointed  by  the  stockholders, 
eight  of  whom  should  at  all  times  be  members  of  Nthe  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  Aboard  of  three  visitors  was  to  be  appointed 
by  the  annual  Rock  River  conference.  The  company  was  to 
have  a  capital  stock  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  divided 
into  shares  of  one  hundred  dollars  each. 

A  farm  of  about  two  hundred  and  sixteen  acres  was  pur- 
chased of  William  M.  Rowland.  It  adjoined  Judge  Church's 
farm  on  the  west,  and  extended  north  to  the  State  road.  The 
purchase  price  and  accrued  interest  amounted  to  nearly  twenty 
thousand  dollars.  A  large  portion  of  this  tract  was  platted 
into  town  lots,  and  it  was  proposed  to  build  a  college  suburban 
town.  The  sale  of  lots  occurred  April  29,  1857.  The  sub- 
scribers to  stock  purchased  lots.  Rev.  W.  F.  Stewart  had  been 
transferred  from  the  Ohio  to  the  Rock  River  conference,  and  had 
been  assigned  to  the  Second  or  Court  Street  church.  Rev.  Stew- 
art was  made  purchasing  agent  for  the  seminary  by  the  annual 
conference. 

August  31, 1857,  the  ceremony  of  breaking  ground  for  the 
seminary  buildings  took  place  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  T.  M. 
Eddy,  who  was  in  attendance  upon  Rock  River  conference,  which 
was  then  in  session  in  Rockford.  Several  hundred  people  were 
in  attendance.  An  address  was  made  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Stoughton, 
agent  of  Clark  seminary ;  and  Rev.  W.  F.  Stewart  gave  a  brief 
history  of  the  origin  of  the  seminary  movement. 

When  the  ground  was  broken,  fifty-seven  thousand  dollars 
had  been  subscribed.  The  enterprise,  however,  was  unsuccess- 
ful. Quite  a  number  of  houses  were  built,  but  in  time  several  of 
them  migrated  into  town  on  rollers,  and  the  land  reverted  to 
farming  purposes. 

In  October,  1857,  Rev.  Stewart  began  the  publication  of  the 
Rockford  Wesleyan  Seminary  Reporter,  in  the  interest  of  the 
seminary.  Only  four  numbers  were  published.  Both  Rev.  Stew- 
art and  Rev.  Stoughton  have  died  within  the  past  few  mouths. 


CHAPTER  LXVIII. 
BAYARD  TAYLOR'S  TRIBUTE. — FRATERNITIES. — NOTES. 

BAYARD  TAYLOR,  in  a  letter  to  the  Tribune,  published  in 
the  spring  of  1855,  paid  Rockford  this  generous  tribute  : 
"I  last  wrote  to  you  from  Rockford,  the  most  beautiful  town  in 
northern  Illinois.  It  has  the  advantage  of  an  admirable  water- 
power,  furnished  by  the  Rock  river;  of  a  rich,  rolling  prairie, 
which  is  fast  being  settled  and  farmed  on  all  sides,  of  a  fine  build- 
ing material  in  its  quarries,  of  soft  yellow  limestone,  resembling 
the  Roman  travertine ;  and  of  an  unusually  enterprising  and 
intelligent  population.  Knowing  all  these  advantages,  I  was 
not  surprised  at  the  evidences  of  growth  since  my  first  visit  a 
year  ago.  People  are  flocking  in  faster  than  room  can  be  fur- 
nished, and  the  foundations  of  two  new  hotels,  on  a  large  scale, 
show  the  requirements  of  the  place.  I  was  pleased  to  note  that 
taste  keeps  pace  with  prosperity  here,  as  elsewhere  in  the  north- 
west. The  new  Unitarian  church  is  a  simple  but  very  neat 
Gothic  edifice,  and  the  residences  of  Mr.  Holland  and  Mr.  Starr 
are  very  fine  specimens  of  home  architecture.  The  grounds  of 
the  former  are  admirably  laid  out ;  there  is  nothing  better  of 
the  kind  on  the  Hudson." 

The  charter  of  Winnebago  Lodge  No.  31,  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  was  issued  by  Geo.  W.  Woodward,  grandmaster 
of  Illinois,  in  1847,  to  the  following  named  charter  members : 
Selden  M.  Bronson,  Ansel  Kenfield,  Dewitt  Clinton  Briggs, 
Frederick  II.  Maxwell,  and  Rev.  Nathaniel  P.  Heath.  The  lodge 
was  instituted  August  11,  1847.  The  place  of  meeting  was 
Horsman's  block,  on  the  West  side. 

Rockford  Lodge,  No.  102,  Masons,  was  organized  February 
13, 1851,  under  a  dispensation  from  C.  G.  Y.  Taylor,  the  grand 
master.  The  following  named  citizens  constituted  its  first 
membership :  Alfred  E.  Ames,  William  Lyman,  Henry  Carpenter, 
C.  H.  Spafford,  William  Hulin,  E.  H.  Baker,  Ansel  Kenfield, 
John  Fraley,  James  P.  Burns,  W.  F.  Ward,  Jesse  Blinn,  and 
Buel  G.  Wheeler.  E.  H.  Baker  was  the  last  survivor  of  this 
original  membership. 


348          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

Social  Lodge,  No.  140,  Odd  Fellows,  was  instituted  Febru- 
ary 6,  1854. 

Winnebago  Chapter  No.  24,  Masons,  was  organized  Decem- 
ber 12, 1854,  under  a  dispensation  from  Louis  Watson,  grand 
high  priest.  The  following  constituted  its  first  membership: 
A.  Clark,  Chauncy  Ray,  W.  F.  Fairish,  H.  Miltimore,  John  A. 
Holland,  L.  P.  Pettibone,  R.  H.  Cotton,  Abiram  Morgan,  G.  D. 
Palmer,  and  Ansel  Kenfield.  'This  chapter  was  constituted 
under  another  charter  in  December,  1855. 

Star  in  the  East  Lodge  No.  166,  Masons,  was  organized 
February  12, 1855,  under  a  dispensation  from  James  L.  Ander- 
son, grand  master.  The  charter  members  were:  E.  F.  W.  Ellis, 
R.  H.  Cotton,  W.  M.  Bowdoin,  William  Hulin,  S.  G.  Chellis, 
Jos.  K.  Smith,  Joseph  Burns,  C.  I.  Horsman,  B.  G.  Wheeler,  G. 
W.  Reynolds,  John  A.  Holland,  C.  H.  Richings,  D.  G.  Clark, 
Adam  McClure,  Holder  Brownell. 

The  dispensation  for  Rockford  Encampment,  No.  44,  Odd 
Fellows,  was  granted  August  5,  1857,  to  the  following  patri- 
archs as  charter  members :  James  Fleming,  J.  H.  Clark,  Hugh 
Strickland,  Enos  C.  Clark,  G.  A,  Stiles,  Joseph  Schloss,  and 
Robert  Smith.  The  encampment  was  instituted  by  Deputy 
Grand  Patriarch  A.  E.  Jenner,  August  26,  1857. 

The  Rockford  Burns  Club  was  organized  November  5, 1858. 
It  is  an  association  of  Scottish- Americans,  who  meet  annually 
on  the  birthday  of  Robert  Burns. 

John  A.  Phelps,  a  Rockford  attorney,  died  July  28,  1854. 
The  bar  of  the  city  adopted  resolutions  of  respect,  and  attended 
his  funeral  in  a  body. 

September  6,  1854,  the  city  council  passed  an  ordinance 
for  the  construction  of  sidewalks. 

About  1855  James  S.  Ticknor  was  appointed  agent  of  the 
American  Express  Company,  and  held  this  position  until  1881. 
Mr.  Ticknor  came  to  Rockford  in  1854.  He  was  preceded  by 
his  brother,  D.  W.,  who  came  in  1846,  and  taught  school.  The 
brothers  were  in  the  drug  and  book  business  a  short  time.  J. 
S.  Ticknor  died  September  18, 1899. 

February  15,  1855,  a  charter  was  granted  the  Rockford 
Central  Railroad  Company.  The  incorporators  were  Rockford 
citizens.  It  was  proposed  to  make  a  connection  with  the  Illi- 
nois Central  at  Mendota,  and  run  through  Rockford  to  the 
Wisconsin  pineries,  and  make  a  north  and  south  line  to  Cairo. 


DEATH  OF  JOHN  A.  HOLLAND.  349 

Piles  were  driven  in  Kock  river  at  Kockford,  for  a  bridge,  which 
are  now  used  by  the  Burlington  company.  The  route  was  sur- 
veyed, but  no  track  was  laid. 

In  February,  1855,  the  Rockford  Gas  Light  and  Coke  Com- 
pany was  incorporated.  The  incorporators  were  Simon  M. 
Preston,  William  Lyman,  John  Platt,  Henry  Fisher,  and  Jesse 
Blinn.  A  few  years  later  Thomas  Butterworth  was  made  its 
manager,  and  he  finally  became  the  owner  of  the  plant. 

May  17, 1855,  occurred  the  sale  of  several  hundred  acres 
of  canal  lands  in  Winnebago  county.  These  lands  were  selected 
as  a  part  of  the  grant  to  the  state  of  Illinois  by  the  general 
government,  to  aid  in  building  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal. 

In  1855  the  legislature  passed  a  very  stringent  prohibitory 
liquor  bill,  known  as  the  Maine  law.  The  bill  was  not  to  go 
into  effect  unless  approved  by  a  majority  of  the  popular  vote 
at  an  election  to  be  held  June  4th  of  that  year.  The  vote 
in  Winnebago  county  was  a  splendid  endorsement  of  the  bill. 
Every  township  in  the  county  sustained  the  measure.  The  vote 
in  Rockford  was  as  follows:  for  the  law,  752 ;  against,  71.  The 
vote  of  the  county  was:  2,153  in  favor  of  the  law;  against  it, 
363.  The  bill  was  lost,  however,  in  the  state. 

July  14, 1855,  the  starch  factory  belonging  to  Lewis,  Smyth 
&  Company  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  loss  was  about  $15, 000. 

The  death  of  John  A.  Holland  occurred  September  29, 1855, 
at  Mount  Vernon,  Ohio,  while  he  was  on  a  visit  to  his  father-in- 
law,  who  resided  there,  in  company  with  his  family.  The  remains 
were  brought  to  Rockford  for  burial.  Resolutions  of  respect 
were  adopted  by  the  Masonic  bodies  and  by  the  bar  of  the  city. 
The  funeral  was  held  at  the  Unitarian  church  on  Sunday.  Rev. 
Mr.  Murray,  the  pastor,  preached  the  discourse.  John  A.  Hol- 
land was  born  in  what  is  now  West  Virginia.  He  came  to  Rock- 
ford  in  1845,  from  Worcester,  Ohio,  where  he  had  practiced 
law.  He  formed  a  partnership  with  T.  D.  Robertson  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  He  was  the  attorney  for  the  Galena 
&  Chicago  Union  railroad,  and  assisted  the  Illinois  Central  in 
securing  the  right  of  way  from  Chicago  to  Cairo.  Mr.  Holland 
was  an  attendant  at  the  Unitarian  church,  but  was  not  a  mem- 
ber. He  was  a  man  of  comprehensive  mind,  great  energy  and 
sagacity,  and  always  operated  upon  a  large  scale.  He  was  a 
leading  spirit  in  every  public  enterprise.  The  Holland  House 
was  named  in  his  honor.  Mr.  Holland  was  father  of  Hosmer  P. 
Holland.  His  second  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Dr.  J.  C.  Goodhue. 


CHAPTER  LXIX. 

MURDER   OP'  SHERIFF  TAYLOR. — EXECUTION   OF  COUNTRYMAN. 

TUESDAY,  November  11,  1856,  John  F.  Taylor,  sheriff  of 
Winnebago  county,  was  instantly  killed  by  Alfred  Coun- 
tryman. On  that  day  Alfred  and  John  Countryman  came  to 
Rockford  from  Ogle  county  with  some  cattle,  which  they  offered 
for  sale  at  such  low  prices  as  to  arouse  suspicion.  The  cattle 
were  sold  for  a  sum  below  their  market  value.  The  purchasers 
delayed  payment  until  notice  had  been  given  the  sheriff,  and 
papers  made  out  for  the  apprehension  of  the  brothers,  which 
occurred  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning.  They  were  then 
arrested  on  suspicion ;  and  before  they  were  taken  to  jail  Sher- 
iff Taylor  searched  them  for  concealed  weapons.  He  found  pis- 
tol balls  in  Alfred's  pockets,  and  upon  inquiring  for  his  revolver 
the  prisoner  replied  that  he  had  none.  Sheriff  Taylor,  assisted 
by  Constable  Thompson,  then  started  with  the  prisoners  for 
the  jail.  Just  as  they  reached  the  steps  Alfred  Countryman 
broke  away  from  the  sheriff ,  leaped  over  the  fence  on  Elm  street, 
and  ran  down  that  street,  with  the  sheriff  in  pursuit.  At  the 
next  corner,  near  the  livery  stable  of  Hall  &  Reynolds,  the  sher- 
iff had  nearly  overtaken  Countryman,  and  was  about  to  seize 
him,  when  the  latter  drew  a  pistol  which  he  had  concealed,  and 
fired.  The  sheriff  staggered  a  few  paces,  and  fell.  His  only 
words  were:  "I'm  shot;  catch  him." 

Countryman  ran  to  the  woods  north  of  Kent's  creek,  with 
hundreds  of  infuriated  citizens  in  pursuit.  John  Platt  was  the 
first  to  overtake  him.  He  took  his  pistol  from  him,  and,  with 
assistance,  secured  his  arrest.  Amid  threats  of  lynching,  the 
prisoner  was  placed  in  jail  and  securely  ironed.  Samuel  I. 
Church,  the  sheriff-elect,  briefly  addressed  the  crowd  and 
assured  them  that  the  prisoner  was  secure. 

Sheriff  Taylor  was  thirty-one  years  of  age,  and  left  a  wife, 
and  a  son  a  year  and  a  half  old.  He  was  an  excellent  officer, 
and  was  held  in  high  respect  by  the  community.  The  funeral 
was  held  Thursday  on  the  public  square,  adjoining  the  jail, 


THOUSANDS  WITNESS  EXECUTION.  851 

under  the  charge  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  The  board  of 
supervisors  were  in  attendance  in  a  body.  The  discourse  was 
preached  by  Rev.  W.  F.  Stewart. 

Countryman  was  indicted  and  tried  for  the  murder  of  Sher- 
iff Taylor,  at  the  following  February  term  of  the  circuit  court. 
The  prosecution  was  conducted  by  U.  D.  Meacham,  the  state's 
attorney,  assisted  by  William  Brown.  The  counsel  for  the 
defense  was  Orrin  Miller  and  T.  J.  Turner.  The  following  gen- 
tlemen constituted  the  jury:  Levi  Tunks,  Philo  C.  Watson, 
Anthony  M.  Felmly,  Silas  G.  Tyler,  Jacob  B.  Place,  G.  R.  Ames, 
Allen  Rice,  Charles  Works,  J.  W.  Jenks,  Edward  Peppers,  J.  W. 
Knapp,  S.  P.  Coller.  The  trial  began  on  Monday,  February 
23d.  The  case  was  given  to  the  jury  on  Thursday;  and  Friday 
morning  they  returned  a  verdict  of  guilty.  Judge  Sheldon  pro- 
nounced the  sentence  of  death  upon  Countryman.  One  of  his 
counsel,  Mr.  Miller,  tried  to  obtain  a  stay  of  proceedings,  so  as 
to  bring  the  case  before  the  supreme  court.  But  Judge  Caton 
refused  to  grant  a  writ  of  error. 

On  Friday,  March  27th,  Countryman  was  executed  on  the 
farm  of  Sheriff  Church,  a  short  distance  from  the  city.  The 
execution  was  witnessed  by  eight  thousand  people.  In  the 
absence  of  a  military  company,  the  two  fire  companies,  armed 
with  sabres  and  carbines,  formed  a  hollow  square  at  the  jail, 
into  the  center  of  which  the  carriages,  which  were  to  form  the 
procession,  were  driven,  and  as  the  procession  moved  to  the 
place  of  execution,  the  fire  companies  formed  a  strong  guard. 
Upon  arriving  at  the  scaffold,  Rev.  Hooper  Crews  offered  an 
earnest  prayer.  The  prisoner  made  a  short  speech  and  professed 
repentance  and  forgiveness  for  his  crime.  At  seventeen  min- 
utes past  two  the  bolt  was  withdrawn,  and  Countryman  was 
swung  into  eternity.  His  father,  sister  and  one  brother  wit- 
nessed the  execution.  Before  the  body  was  taken  down,  Sheriff 
Church  addressed  the  crowd  as  follows:  "These  painful  proceed- 
ings being  now  concluded,  and  the  sword  of  justice  about  to  be 
returned  to  its  sheath,  I  hope  never  again  to  be  drawn  with  so 
much  severity,  I  would  thank  you  all  for  the  good  order  you 
have  maintained— your  conduct  does  credit  to  the  city,  and  I 
hope  you  will  observe  the  same  decorum  in  retiring." 


CHAPTER  LXX. 

KENOSHA  AND  ROCKFORD  RAILROAD. — EARLY  MANSIONS. — NOTES. 

IN  1856  was  projected  a  railroad  to  connect  Kenosha  on  Lake 
Michigan  with  Rockford.  It  was  a  part  of  the  orginal  plan 
that  this  line  should  extend  from  Rockford  to  Rock  Island. 
January  20, 1857,  a  charter  was  granted  to  John  M.  Capron, 
Egbert  Ayer,  Thomas  Paul,  John  Cornell,  W.  B.  Ogden,  John 
Bradley,  Jason  Marsh,  George  Haskell.  David  S.  Penfleld,  Rob- 
ert P.  Lane,  C.  C.  Briggs,  C.  H.  Spafford,  A.  S.  Miller,  Jesse 
Bliun  and  Seely  Perry.  The  company  was  to  have  a  capital 
stock  of  eight  hundred  thousand  dollars,  to  be  divided  into 
shares  of  one  hundred  dollars  each,  and  was  authorized  to  con- 
struct a  road  from  a  point  near  the  state  line  in  McHenry 
county  to  Rockford.  This  road  was  built  as  a  means  of  reliev- 
ing Rockford  from  burdens  imposed  by  the  high  freight  and  pas- 
senger rates  of  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union. 

Books  for  subscriptions  to  the  stock  of  the  road  were 
opened  early  in  November,  1856,  and  on  the  25th  of  the  same 
month  the  company  was  organized  by  the  election  of  the  fol- 
lowing officers:  President,  C.  H.  Spafford;  vice-president,  R.  P. 
Lane;  secretary,  E.  H.  Baker;  treasurer,  A.  C.  Spafford;  execu- 
tive committee,  J.  Bond,  J.  M.  Capron,  R.  P.  Lane,  D.  S.  Pen- 
field  and  Seely  Perry.  The  subscriptions  were  made  largely  by 
farmers  along  the  line,  who  gave  mortgages  on  their  real  estate 
to  secure  their  payments.  The  company  negotiated  these  mort- 
gages in  payment  for  iron,  labor  and  other  expenses  in  the 
building  of  the  road.  When  these  obligations  matured  many 
of  the  subscribers  could  not  redeem  them,  and  the  holders  of 
the  mortgages  foreclosed  them. 

The  contract  for  the  construction  of  the  road  to  Harvard 
was  made  in  March,  1857,  and  the  work  was  begun  shortly 
afterward.  The  eastern  division  of  the  road  was  under  the  con- 
trol of  another  company,  organized  under  a  charter  from  the 
Wisconsin  legislature.  The  progress  of  construction  was  im- 
peded by  financial  embarrassments,  arising  from  the  great  de- 
pression which  spread  over  the  country  in  1857,  and  the  enter- 


THE  MANNY  MANSION.  353 

prise  languished.  In  August,  1858,  the  company  applied  to 
the  council  of  Rockford  for  a  loan  of  the  city  credit  to  the 
amount  of  $50,000  to  aid  in  the  completion  of  the  road.  An 
election  was  held  September  2d,  and  the  measure  was  carried  by 
a  majority  of  more  than  five  hundred.  This  is  the  only  instance 
in  the  history  of  Rockford  of  the  loan  of  the  credit  of  the  cor- 
poration to  a  railroad. 

November  21,  1859,  the  road  was  completed  between 
Rockford  and  Harvard,  and  the  event  was  celebrated  by  a  ban- 
quet at  the  Holland  House  the  same  evening.  In  1864  the 
Galena  &  Chicago  Union  Railroad  Company  was  absorbed  by 
the  Chicago  &  Northwestern,  and  the  Kenosha  &  Rockford 
road,  as  a  matter  of  course,  soon  came  under  the  same  control. 

The  most  beautiful  home  in  Rockford  during  the  period  cov- 
ered by  this  history,  was  that  of  Mrs.  J.  H.  Manny,  on  South 
Main  street.  The  "  Manny  mansion  "  was  built  in  1854,  by 
John  A.  Holland.  The  grounds  had  a  frontage  of  three  hundred 
and  twenty-five  feet,  and  extended  from  the  northern  limit  of 
G.  N.  Safford  &  Company's  lumber  yard  to  a  point  below  Kent's 
creek,  and  were  fronted  by  a  stone  fence.  The  beauty  of  these 
grounds  was  due,  in  large  measure,  to  John  Blair,  a  Scottish 
landscape  gardener,  who  came  from  Canada  at  Mr.  Holland's 
solicitation.  He  laid  out  the  grounds,  and  set  the  standard  for 
landscape  gardening  in  Rockford,  and  in  this  way  he  left  his  im- 
press on  the  city.  Mr.  Blair  subsequently  laid  out  the  grounds 
of  the  Elgin  insane  asylum.  It  is  said  he  now  lies  near  Victoria, 
British  Columbia.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Holland,  in  1855, 
financial  reverses  overtook  his  family,  and  about  1860  this 
splendid  estate  passed  into  the  ownership  of  Mrs.  J.  H.  Manny. 

The  fine  estate  which  adjoined  Mrs.  Manny's  on  the  south 
was  owned  by  Rev.  Lansing  Porter,  the  first  pastor  of  the  Sec- 
ond Congregational  church.  He  built  the  stone  fence  which 
fronted  the  property.  Mr.  Porter  sold  this  home  to  Elias  Cosper, 
and  he  in  turn  sold  it  to  S.  C.  Withrow,  who,  in  the  course  of  a 
few  years,  completed  a  beautiful  home. 

The  Rockford  Register,  of  August  30,  1856,  made  this  an- 
nouncement :  "  We  have  been  shown  the  plans  for  a  beautiful 
residence  to  be  erected  by  Mr.  Seely  Perry.  .  .  It  is  to  be  of 
brick,  built  in  the  Italian  style  of  architecture,  with  cupola, 
verandas,  etc.,  and  it  is  estimated  will  cost  some  $5,000  or 
$6,000.  The  lot  chosen  for  its  erection  is  on  the  height  above 

w 


354  HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

Mr.  Marsh's  fine  residence,  east  side  of  the  city,  and  commands 
a  splendid  prospect."  This  has  in  late  years  been  familiarly 
known  as  the  Schmauss  property,  and  is  now  occupied  as  St. 
Anthony  hospital.  Forty  years  ago  it  was  called  "Perry's 
castle."  Mr.  Perry,  however,  called  it  "Perry's  folly." 

In  1861,  C.  C.  Briggs  erected  a  substantial  residence  on 
East  State  street.  It  was  built  of  Milwaukee  brick,  two  stories, 
with  cupola,  and  ornamented  by  a  veranda,  extending  the 
entire  length  of  the  building  on  the  west.  Its  estimated  cost 
was  $9,000.  It  stands  today  like  a  deserted  castle,  frowning 
upon  the  pleasant  modern  homes  that  have  intruded  upon  its 
former  spacious  grounds. 

Judge  Church's  substantial  stone  residence  on  South  Avon 
street  was  built  in  1857,  and  is  today  one  of  the  finest  houses 
in  the  city. 

Gilbert  Woodruff's  spacious  mansion  was  built  by  E.  H. 
Potter.  When  financial  reverses  came  to  him,  he  disposed  of 
the  property  to  C.  A.  Shaw,  father  of  Mrs.  J.  M.  Southgate. 

The  fine  residence  owned  by  Mrs.  David  Keyt,  south  of  the 
city,  was  built  by  Orlando  Clark,  of  the  firm  of  Clark  &  Utter. 

Allen  Gibson,  secretary  of  the  Rock  River  Mutual  Insurance 
Company,  built  the  residence  now  owned  by  Thomas  D.  Rob- 
ertson. Mr.  Gibson  expended  $20,000  in  the  construction  of 
this  house  and  later  improvements. 

The  year  1856  is  memorable  in  history  for  the  fierce  strug- 
gle for  freedom  in  Kansas.  On  the  19th  and  20th  of  May, 
Charles  Sumner  delivered  his  celebrated  speech  in  the  senate, 
on  The  Crime  Against  Kansas.  It  was  marked  by  the  usual 
characteristics  of  his  more  elaborate  efforts,  exhibiting  great 
affluence  of  learning,  faithful  research,  and  great  rhetorical  fin- 
ish and  force.  It  was,  in  the  words  of  the  poet  Whittier,  "a 
grand  and  terrible  philippic."  On  the  22d  of  May  following, 
Senator  Sumner  was  brutally  assaulted  in  the  senate  chamber, 
by  Preston  S.  Brooks,  a  representative  from  South  Carolina. 
Circumstances  combined  to  create  an  enormous  demand  for  Mr. 
Sumner's  speech. 

The  following  letter,  written  by  Hon.  E.  B.  Washburne  to 
Francis  Burnap,  of  Rockford,  is  interesting  in  this  connec- 
tion, because  it  has  never  before  been  published,  and  by  reason 
of  Mr.  Washburne's  prophetic  utterances.  The  full  text  of  the 
letter  is  as  follows  : 


WASHBURNE'S  UNPUBLISHED  LETTER.  355 

HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  JUNE  2, 1856.— My  Dear  Sir: 
The  demand  f  or  Sumner's  speech  is  so  great  that  it  will  [be]  some 
time  before  your  order  can  be  filled.  They  cost  two  dollars  per 
hundred,  instead  of  one.  We  want  to  get  a  big  edition  of  Bis- 
selPs  great  speech  made  in  1850  for  circulation  in  our  state. 
I  find  the  twenty-dollar  draft  from  you  here.  The  excitement 
everywhere  in  the  north  is  terrific.  If  we  make  no  mistakes,  and 
act  earnestly  and  discreetly,  the  rule  of  the  slave-power  now 
ceases.  Mr.  Sumner  is  getting  along.  He  was  terribly  beaten, 
but  his  blood  will  be  avenged. 

Yours  truly,       E.  B.  WASHBURNE. 

F.  BURNAP,  ESQ. 

In  1854  Anson  S.  Miller  laid  the  foundation  for  his  new 
hotel  on  the  southwest  corner  of  State  and  Court  streets.  The 
hotel  was  planned  on  a  large  scale.  The  foundation  walls  were 
four  and  a  half  feet  thick  at  the  base.  The  structure  was  to  be 
built  of  cream-colored  limestone,  four  stories  high,  with  an 
attic  and  basement,  which  made  it  nearly  equivalent  to  six 
stories.  The  size  was  to  be  one  hundred  feet  on  State  street, 
by  one  hundred  and  twenty  on  Court,  and  its  estimated  cost 
was  $40,000.  Mr.  Miller  was  unable  to  realize  his  ambition, 
and  the  work  was  abandoned  after  the  walls  were  laid. 

The  Winnebago  National  Bank  block  was  completed  for 
Robertson,  Coleman  &  Company,  in  1855.  Messrs.  Ticknor  & 
Brother  and  O.  Dickerman  built  the  block  adjoining,  of  same 
general  style,  a  few  months  later. 

In  June,  1855,  a  joint  stock  company,  organized  under  the 
authority  of  an  act  of  the  legislature,  began  the  erection  of  the 
Holland  House,  an  extensive  hotel  which  received  its  name 
from  John  A.  Holland.  The  hotel  was  completed  the  following 
spring,  and  April  30th  an  elaborate  inauguration  festival  was 
given  by  the  citizens  to  Messrs.  Pierce  &  Bingham,  the  proprie- 
tors. Isaac  N.  Cunningham,  the  former  landlord  of  the  Winne- 
bago House,  was  chairman  of  the  committee  on  arrangements, 
and  presided  at  the  tables.  Brief  addresses  were  made  by 
Judge  Church,  Mayor  James  L.  Loop,  Jason  Marsh,  Dr. 
Lyman,  William  Hulin,  Melancthon  Starr,  C.  I.  Horsman  andT. 
D.  Robertson.  Like  most  enterprises  of  this  kind,  undertaken  in 
the  interior  cities  of  the  west,  the  property  was  unremunerative, 
and  passed  into  private  hands.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Bald- 
win held  mortgage  bonds,  and  foreclosed.  He  bid  in  the  prop- 


356          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND   WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

erty  at  the  sale,  and  then  sold  it  to  Robertson  &  Starr.  Mr. 
Starr  purchased  the  interest  of  his  partner,  and  sold  the  hotel 
to  his  son,  H.  N.  Starr.  Later  owners  were  W.  B.  Sink  and  C. 
W.  Brown.  The  Holland  House  was  destroyed  by  fire  Christ- 
mas eve,  1896.  The  records  of  the  old  Hotel  Company  are 
said  to  be  in  the  vault  of  the  Winnebago  National  Bank. 

The  telegraph  line  was  completed  to  Rockford  in  October, 
1855.  It  was  owned  by  the  Chicago  &  Mississippi  Company.  The 
line  connected  at  Freeport  with  the  line  on  the  Illinois  Central. 

At  the  presidential  election  in  November,  1856,  Winnebago 
county  gave  John  C.  Fremont  a  magnificent  vote.  Every  town 
in  the  county  was  carried  for  the  Pathfinder.  The  total  vote  of 
the  county  was  4,154.  The  county  gave  a  majority  of  3,179 
for  Fremont  over  Buchanan.  The  First  Congressional  district 
gave  majorities  for  Fremont  and  Washburne  of  more  than 
twelve  thousand.  William  Lathrop  was  elected  representative ; 
Samuel  I.  Church,  sheriff;  H.  T.  Mesler,  coroner;  Morris  B.  Der- 
rick, circuit  clerk.  Mr.  Church  was  brother  of  Judge  Church, 
and  came  to  Rockford  in  1848.  He  purchased  a  quarter  of  the 
school  section;  later  he  made  it  his  home,  where  he  died  in  1886. 

In  1856  a  military  company  was  organized,  under  the  name 
of  the  Rockford  City  Greys,  which  enkindled  the  enthusiasm  of 
a  large  number  of  the  young  men  of  the  city.  In  the  summer 
of  1858  Colonel  E.  E.  Ellsworth  was  engaged  as  drillmaster, 
and  under  his  instruction  the  company  attained  a  high  degree 
of  proficiency.  In  September,  1858,  an  encampment  was  held 
on  the  fair  grounds,  which  continued  four  days.  Companies 
from  Freeport,  Elgin  and  Chicago  were  in  attendance.  This 
company  continued  in  excellent  condition  until  the  outbreak 
of  the  civil  war,  when,  under  the  name  of  Rockford  Zouaves, 
many  of  the  company  volunteered  in  the  three  months'  service, 
under  the  call  of  the  president  for  seventy-five  thousand  men ; 
and  as  part  of  the  Eleventh  Illinois  volunteers,  were  detailed 
to  garrison  duty  at  Cairo  and  at  Bird's  Point. 

Colonel  Ellsworth  was  a  splendid  specimen  of  young  man- 
hood. He  was  received  as  a  social  lion  by  the  young  people  of 
the  city.  He  was  frequently  a  guest  at  the  home  of  Charles  H. 
Spafford,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  betrothed  to  his 
elder  daughter,  now  Mrs.  Carrie  S.  Brett.  In  1860  Colonel 
Ellsworth  organized  a  company  of  Zouaves  in  Chicago,  and 
the  following  year  he  accompanied  President  Lincoln  to  Wash- 
ington. Upon  seeing  a  confederate  flag  floating  from  a  hotel 


ATLANTIC  CABLE  CELEBRATION.  357 

in  Alexandria,  Virginia,  he  rushed  to  the  roof  and  tore  it  down. 
On  his  return  from  the  roof  he  was  met  and  shot  dead  by  Jack- 
son, the  owner,  who  in  turn  was  shot  by  one  of  Ellsworth's 
men,  Frank  E.  Brownell.  Colonel  Ellsworth's  blood  was  the 
first  shed  in  the  civil  conflict. 

August  17,  1858,  the  completion  of  the  Atlantic  cable  was 
celebrated  by  the  citizens  of  Rockford  with  great  demonstra- 
tions of  enthusiasm.  On  that  day  the  queen  of  England  and 
the  president  of  the  United  States  exchanged  messages.  The 
event  was  celebrated  in  'Rockford  by  a  salute  of  fifty  guns,  fired 
by  the  City  Greys,  and  the  church  bells  were  rung.  Public  exer- 
cises were  held  in  the  evening  at  the  court  house.  Addresses 
were  made  by  James  L.  Loop,  Judge  Miller,  E.  W.  Blaisdell, 
Judge  Church,  William  Hulin,  and  Dr.  Lyman.  The  speech  of 
Mr.  Loop  was  exceptionally  brilliant,  and  replete  with  noble 
thought.  One  paragraph  from  this  address  is  quoted :  "Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States— the  two  great  maritime  nations 
of  the  globe,  have  met  in  mortal  combat  upon  that  briny 
deep;  they  have  fought  for  the  sea's  supremacy,  they  have 
maintained  on  either  side  with  all  their  prowess  and  power 
their  respective  country's  glory,  and  well  and  gloriously  have 
their  names  resounded  through  the  world — but  no  victory 
ever  won  by  either  upon  the  ocean  can  compare  with  this  joint 
victory  we  have  met  to  celebrate." 

October  27, 1858,  Salmon  P.  Chase  addressed  the  citizens 
of  Rockford,  on  the  political  isues  of  the  day,  in  Metropolitan 
Hall. 

In  1860  the  census  of  the  city  of  Rockford,  taken  by  Thos. 
Boyd,  showed  a  population  of  7,046,  and  8,117  in  the  town- 
ship. In  1836  there  were  350  white  inhabitants  in  the  county, 
which  included  Boone,  and  the  eastern  half  of  Stephenson.  In 
June,  1837,  after  Winnebago  had  been  reduced  to  its  present 
size,  the  county  had  a  population  of  1,086.  In  1839  the  village 
of  Rockford  had  235  inhabitants,  and  in  December,  3  845,  there 
were  1,278.  In  1840  there  were  2,563  in  Rockford  township, 
and  in  1855  there  were  6,620. 


CHAPTER  LXXI. 

FATALITY  AT  A  CHARIVARI. — TRIAL,  OF  GOVERNOR  BEBB.— NOTES. 

ON  Tuesday  evening,  May  19, 1857,  acharivari  resulted  in  the 
instant  death  of  one  of  the  party.  Hon.  William  Bebb, 
ex-governor  of  Ohio,  was  residing  in  Seward  township.  His 
son,  M.  S.  Bebb,  had  just  returned  from  the  east  with  his  bride. 
Twelve  young  men  of  the  neighborhood  proposed  to  charivari 
the  bridal  party.  They  assembled  at  the  Governor's  house  about 
eleven  o'clock  at  night,  and  began  their  performance  with  cow- 
bells, tin-pans,  three  guns,  and  other  articles  which  could  con- 
tribute to  the  hideous  din.  The  Governor  at  length  appeared 
with  a  shot-gun  and  ordered  them  to  retire.  They  paid  no 
heed,  and  Mr.  Bebb  fired  one  barrel,  which  took  effect  in  the  face 
of  William  Hogan.  The  party  then  approached  nearer  the  house, 
as  for  an  assault,  when  the  Governor  discharged  the  second 
barrel  at  the  leader,  Lemuel  Clemens,  and  instantly  killed  him. 
The  crowd  then  speedily  dispersed. 

The  trial  of  Governor  Bebb,  for  manslaughter,  began  Feb- 
ruary 4, 1858,  in  the  circuit  court,  Judge  Sheldon  presiding. 
The  prosecution  was  conducted  by  U.  D.  Meacham,  the  state's 
attorney,  who  was  assisted  by  T.  J.  Turner.  The  counsel  for 
the  defense  was  the  famous  Tom  Corwin,  of  Ohio,  assisted  by 
Judge  William  Johnson,  James  L.  Loop,  and  Judge  Anson  S. 
Miller.  The  trial  began  in  the  court  house,  and  in  order  to 
secure  more  room,  an  adjournment  was  taken  to  Metropolitan 
Hall. 

The  greatest  interest  was  manifested  in  the  trial,  by  reason 
of  the  reputation  of  the  defendant,  and  the  celebrity  of  Mr. 
Corwin.  A  large  number  of  ladies  were  daily  in  attendance. 
The  jury  consisted  of  the  following  named  gentlemen:  John 
Spafford,  Putnam  Perley,  William  A.  Phelps,  Joel  W.  Thomp- 
son, Horace  Hitchcock,  L.  D.  Waldo,  Baltus  Heagle,  Benjamin 
F.  Long,  John  Morse,  S.  M.  Preston,  R.  K.Town,  Isaac  Manes. 

Both  sides  of  the  case  were  argued  with  great  ability.  The 
central  figure  was,  of  course,  Mr.  Corwin.  The  Register,  in 
reporting  his  address  to  the  jury,  said:  "It  was  just  such  a 


TOM  CORW1WS  PLEA.  359 


speech  as  Tom  Cor  win  alone  can  make,  and  was  listened  to 
with  breathless  attention.  It  lasted  some  four  hours,  during 
which  time  he  went  over  every  particular  of  the  case,  applying 
the  law  to  each  point,  and  showing  under  what  circumstances 
a  man  may  kill  another,  and  also  detailing  in  great  beauty  of 
language  the  manner  in  which  the  people  had  become  possessed 
of  the  inalienable  right  to  enjoy  their  homes  in  peace,  and  undis- 
turbed." 

The  case  was  given  to  the  jury  at  five  o'clock  Monday  after- 
noon, and  at  nine  o'clock  they  returned  with  a  verdict  of  not 
guilty.  The  Register  concluded  quite  a  full  report  of  the  trial 
with  a  commendation  of  the  jury  for  their  righteous  decision. 

M.  S.  Bebb,  whose  marriage  was  the  occasion  of  this  dis- 
turbance, became  a  well-known  citizen  of  Rockford.  He  had 
quite  an  extended  reputation  in  the  scientific  world,  and  was 
recognized  as  the  highest  authority  upon  some  species  of  the 
willow.  Mr.  Bebb  was  for  some  years  a  member  of  the  public 
library  board. 

Last  June  the  Chicago  Tribune  published  an  interview  with 
Hon.  Luther  Laffln  Mills,  who  made  some  extraordinary  state- 
ments concerning  Mr.  Corwin's  method  of  conducting  the  case. 
It  was  stated  that  he  came  to  Rockford  weeks  in  advance  of 
the  trial,  made  the  personal  acquaintance  of  all  the  farmers 
and  their  wives,  and  so  completely  impressed  his  strong  per- 
sonality upon  the  people  that  the  acquittal  of  his  client  followed 
as  a  matter  of  course.  This  interview  was  republished  in  a 
Rockford  paper,  but  it  is  declared  by  old  residents  to  be  a  very 
pretty  piece  of  legal  fiction. 

The  Commercial  Block,  now  known  as  the  Chick  House, 
was  built  in  1857,  by  T.  D.  Robertson,  C.  H.  Spafford  and  R. 
P.  Lane.  The  block  was  sixty-six  feet  front  by  one  hundred 
and  two  in  depth,  with  basement  under  the  whole.  The  first 
story  was  divided  into  three  stores,  fronting  on  Main  street, 
and  two  offices  or  shops  on  Elm  street. 

The  Register  of  Jannary  31, 1857,  estimates  that  the  grand 
total  for  improvements  during  1856  was  $529,350.  Among 
these  was  the  Metropolitan  Hall  block,  built  by  Charles  and 
John  Spafford  and  John  Hall,  at  a  cost  of  $16,000.  During 
this  year  Thomas  Boyd  built  the  four-story,  marble-front 
block  on  West  State  street,  now  known  as  the  European  Hotel. 
Its  cost  was  estimated  in  the  trade  review  at  $10,000. 


CHAPTER  LXXII. 

THE  LINCOLN-DOUGLAS  DEBATE. 

"PHE  famous  Lincoln-Douglas  debate  was  an  event  of  local 
I  interest  as  well  as  national  significance.  In  April,  1858,  the 
Illinois  state  Democratic  convention  endorsed  Stephen  A. 
Douglas  for  the  United  States  senate.  Abraham  Lincoln  was 
nominated  by  the  Republican  party  at  Springfield,  June  17th. 
July  24th  Mr.  Lincoln  sent  a  challenge  to  Judge  Douglas  to 
discuss  the  political  issues  of  the  day  in  a  series  of  joint  debates. 
The  latter  accepted  the  challenge,  and  named  one  city  in  each 
congressional  district,  except  the  second  and  sixth,  where  they 
had  already  spoken.  Ottawa,  Freeport,  Galesburg,  Quincy, 
Alton,  Jonesboro  and  Charleston  were  the  points  chosen  for 
these  discussions. 

The  second  and  most  famous  debate  was  held  at  Freeport, 
August  27th.  It  was  the  greatest  political  event  ever  held  in 
this  congressional  district.  Thousands  were  in  attendance  from 
the  northern  counties,  and  the  excitement  was  intense.  A 
special  train  was  made  up  at  Marengo,  and  run  over  the  Ga- 
lena &  Chicago  Union  road.  It  consisted  of  eighteen  coaches, 
eight  of  which  were  filled  with  Rockford  citizens. 

Mr.  Lincoln's  doctrine  was  that  the  government  could  not 
endure  permanently  divided  into  free  and  slave  states  ;  that 
they  must  all  become  free,  or  all  become  slave.  In  Mr.  Lin- 
coln's opinion,  the  principal  point  of  debate  was  Judge  Doug- 
las'  doctrine  of  popular  sovereignty,  in  connection  with  the 
Dred  Scott  decision.  These  two  positions,  in  his  judgment, 
were  in  direct  antag@nism,  and  were,  in  reality,  a  shameful 
fraud. 

It  was  at  this  debate  that  Mr.  Lincoln  propounded  the  four 
celebrated  questions  to  Judge  Douglas,  the  answers  to  which 
swept  away  his  last  chance  for  securing  the  presidency  in  1860. 
Previous  to  the  debate,  a  conference  was  held  at  the  Brewster 
House,  at  which  E.  B.  Washburne  and  Joseph  Medill  urged  Mr. 
Lincoln  to  refrain  from  such  interrogations.  But  Lincoln  was 
insistent.  He  said  that  if  Judge  Douglas  answered  them  one 


MR.  HITTS  REMINISCENCE.  361 

way  he  would  lose  his  prestige  with  the  south;  and  if  he 
answered  them  the  other  way,  he  could  not  retain  the  leader- 
ship of  the  northern  wing  of  his  party. 

The  result  justified  Mr.  Lincoln's  prophecy.  "  Of  that 
answer  at  Freeport,"  as  Mr.  Herndon  puts  it,  Douglas  "instantly 
died.  The  red-gleaming  southern  tomahawk  flashed  high  and 
keen.  Douglas  was  removed  out  of  Lincoln's  way.  The  wind 
was  taken  out  of  Seward's  sails  (by  the  house-divided  speech), 
and  Lincoln  stood  out  prominent." 

The  election  occurred  on  the  2d  of  November.  Mr.  Lincoln 
received  a  majority  of  over  four  thousand  of  the  popular  vote, 
yet  the  returns  from  the  legislative  districts  foreshadowed  his 
defeat.  At  the  senatorial  election  in  the  legislature,  Judge 
Douglas  received  fifty-four  votes,  and  Mr.  Lincoln  forty-six — 
one  of  the  results  of  the  unfair  apportionment  law  then  in  oper- 
ation. 

Robert  R.  Hitt,  the  able  representative  of  this  district  in 
congress,  was  the  official  stenographer  of  these  debates.  These 
famous  addresses,  which  made  Mr.  Lincoln's  national  reputa- 
tion, and  which,  more  than  anything  else,  contributed  to  his 
election  as  president,  owe  their  permanent  form  to  Mr.  Hitt's 
stenographic  notes,  the  originals  of  which  Mr.  Hitt  still  hoards 
among  his  literary  treasures.  They  were  published  in  full  by  a 
publishing  house  in  Cincinnati,  in  1860. 

Mr.  Hitt  relates  the  way  in  which  the  Chicago  Tribune  failed 
to  print  a  line  of  Lincoln's  historic  speech  at  Freeport  in  the 
Douglas  debate — the  greatest  of  all  Lincoln's  addresses  before 
the  civil  war.  Mr.  Hitt  was  reporting  the  speech,  and  was 
writing  out  his  notes  for  the  next  morning's  paper,  when  Owen 
Lovejoy,  the  abolition  agitator,  arose  in  the  rear  of  the  hall 
and  delivered  a  harangue,  which  is  now  forgotten,  but  which, 
for  the  moment,  roused  the  meeting  to  a  frenzy  of  enthusiasm, 
while  Lincoln's  had  seemed  rather  tame.  Joseph  Medill,  the 
proprietor  of  the  Tribune,  was  carried  away  with  Lovejoy's 
speech,  and  came  up  to  Mr.  Hitt's  desk  excitedly,  ordered  him 
to  stop  transcribing  his  notes  of  Lincoln's  speech,  and  to  let 
the  Tribune  have  every  word  of  Lovejoy's  harangue  in  the 
morning.  The  Tribune  next  morning  was  all  Lovejoy,  and 
there  was  only  a  word  about  Lincoln's  oration.  This  is  "an 
illustration,"  says  Hitt,  in  telling  the  story,  "of  the  fact  that 
the  contemporaneous  impression  of  a  great  occasion  does  not 
always  coincide  with  the  judgment  of  history." 


CHAPTER  LXXIII. 

ROCKFORD  SETTLERS  1855-59. 

CHARLES  WILLIAMS  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts.  He 
v_.  came  to  Rockford  in  1855,  and  with  his  son  Lewis,  was 
engaged  in  the  hardware  business.  Mr.  Williams  was  the  war 
mayor  of  Rockford,  serving  from  1859  to  1864.  His  home  was 
the  residence  now  owned  by  John  Barnes.  Mr.  Williams  died 
in  1876.  He  was  father  of  Miss  Elizabeth  Williams  and  the  late 
Mrs.  C.  L.  Williams. 

William  M.  Rowland  came  to  Rockford  in  1855.  He  was  a 
native  of  Connecticut,  and  when  a  young  man  he  removed  to 
Augusta,  Georgia,  where  he  was  interested  in  the  Iron  Steam- 
boat Company.  Soon  after  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  compro- 
mise, Hon.  Alexander  H.  Stephens,  memberof  congress,  inform- 
ally received  the  prominent  citizens  of  Augusta.  Mr.  Rowland 
is  said  to  have  been  the  only  gentleman  present  who  did  not 
offer  congratulations  to  Mr.  Stephens  upon  the  repeal  of  that 
law,  but  assured  him  that  it  would  prove  a  calamity  to  the 
south.  Mrs.  Rowland  was  a  daughter  of  Rev.  Henry  Wight,  D. 
D.,  a  graduate  of  Harvard,  and  for  forty  years  pastor  of  a  Con- 
gregational church  at  Bristol,  Rhode  Island.  Mr.  Rowland  died 
April  29,  1869.  William  L.  and  Robert  C.  Rowland  are  sons. 

William  L.  Rowland  was  graduated  from  Yale  college  in 
the  class  of  1852,  and  removed  to  Rockford  with  his  father's 
family  in  1855.  When  the  public  library  was  founded  in  1872, 
Mr.  Rowland  was  appointed  librarian,  and  he  has  continuously 
retained  this  position.  Under  his  able  and  conscientious  super- 
vision, the  library  has  grown  from  an  exceedingly  humble 
beginning  to  an  institution  worthy  of  a  much  larger  city.  The 
Rockford  public  library  is  universally  conceded  to  be  unsur- 
passed by  any  other  library  in  the  country  of  its  size,  for  the 
use  of  the  student  and  specialist.  The  library  will  be  Mr.  Row- 
land's monument.  An  uncle  of  Mr.  Rowland,  Rev.  John  B. 
Wight,  a  Unitarian  clergyman,  was  the  author  of  the  first  pub- 
lic library  law  of  Massachusetts,  enacted  in  1851.  Mr.  Wight 
was  sent  to  the  legislature  from  Wayland  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  securing  the  passage  of  this  law. 


DEATH  OF  COLONEL  NEVIUS.  363 

Benjamin Blakeman  was  a  native  of  Stratford,  Connecticut. 
He  came  to  Rockford  in  1856,  and  carried  on  the  lumber  busi- 
ness, first  on  South  Court,  and  later  on  South  Main  street. 
About  1871  he  formed  a  partnership  with  William  Dobson,  in 
manufacturing.  Mr.  Blakeman  is  now  retired  from  business. 
His  daughters  are  Mrs.  Theron  Pierpont,  Mrs.  Anna  C.  Vincent, 
Miss  Harriett,  and  Mrs.  A.  D.  Early,  deceased. 

Colonel  Garrett  Nevius,  a  native  of  New  York,  came  to  Rock- 
ford  in  1858.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Rockford  City  Greys,  and 
in  1861  he  enlisted  with  the  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteers,  and 
arose  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  He  was  killed  in  the  charge  of 
Ransom's  brigade  on  the  enemy's  works  at  Vicksburg,  May  22, 
1863.  Memorial  services  were  held  on  the  court  house  square, 
in  Rockford,  where  the  remains  lay  in  state,  and  an  address  was 
delivered  by  Dr.Kerr.  His  body  was  then  sent  to  New  York  for 
burial.  Colonel  Nevius  was  only  twenty-six  years  of  age. 
Nevius  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  was  named  in  his  honor. 

RobertH.  Tinker  was  born  at  Honolulu,  Sandwich  Islands, 
in  1837,  where  his  father,  Rev.  Reuben  Tinker,  was  a  mission- 
ary, sent  out  by  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Tinker  came  to 
Rockford  in  1856.  He  built  the  Swiss  cottage,  on  Kent's 
creek,  the  most  picturesque  home  in  the  city.  The  plan  of  his 
unique  library,  on  two  floors,  with  winding  stairway,  was  sug- 
gested to  Mr.  Tinker  by  his  visit  to  Sir  Walter  Scott's  library, 
nearly  forty  years  ago.  In  1870  Mr.  Tinker  married  the  widow 
of  John  H.  Manny.  He  was  elected  Mayor  of  Rockford  in  1875, 
and  served  one  term.  Mr.  Tinker  has  been  interested  in  various 
manufacturing  enterprises. 

John  H.  Hall  came  to  Rockford  in  1855,  and  engaged  in 
the  grocery  trade.  He  served  the  city  as  alderman,  and  as  a 
member  of  the  school  board.  The  Hall  school  is  named  in  his 
honor.  Mr.  Hall  was  father  of  Mrs.  H.  N.  Baker,  and  Henry 
and  Miss  Helen  Hall.  His  death  occurred  in  1882. 

Lucius  M.  West  was  born  at  Vernon  Center,  New  York,  June 
19,  1820.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Sturte- 
vant,  of  his  native  county.  In  1858  Mr.  and  Mrs.  West  and 
their  three  sons  came  to  Rockford.  In  1862  Mr.  West  built 
the  store  now  occupied  by  M.  M.  Carpenter,  where  he  carried  on 
trade  in  rubber  goods  and  boots  and  shoes.  About  1874  he 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  and  jobbing  of  enamel  carriage  top 
dressing,  which  has  attained  a  world-wide  reputation.  Mr.  West 
was  actively  identified  with  the  religious  interests  of  the  city. 


364          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

In  1875  he  appointed  a  religious  service  for  Woodruff's  Addi- 
tion, and  for  three  years  and  a  half  conducted  a  mission  school 
there,  and  furnished  the  building  at  his  own  expense.  Deacon 
West  was  benevolent,  and  freely  gave  of  his  means  to  relieve 
the  sick  and  needy.  He  died  August  20,  1893. 

Charles  L.  Williams  was  born  in  Sherburne,  Chenango 
county,  New  York,  October  20,  1828.  He  was  graduated  from 
Hamilton  college  in  1847,  and  in  1851  he  received  the  degree  of 
M.  A.  from  his  alma  mater.  Mr.  Williams  came  to  Rockford  in 
1859,  and  engaged  in  mercantile  business.  He  married  a 
daughter  of  Mayor  Charles  Williams  and  subsequently  pur- 
chased his  father-in-law's  house  on  North  Main  street,  which 
included  the  lots  now  belonging  to  John  Barnes  and  Mrs.  Julia 
P.  Warren.  Mr.  Williams  took  an  active  interest  in  organizing 
the  public  library,  and  from  1872  to  1878  he  was  a  member  of 
the  board  of  directors.  Mr.  Williams  has  four  children :  Mrs.  C. 
R.  Smith,  of  Chicago;  Mrs.  W.  D.  Williams,  of  Omaha;  Miss 
Sarah,  and  Lewis  A.  Williams. 

Daniel  N.  Hood  was  born  in  Salem,  Massachusetts,  Septem- 
ber 25, 1834,  and  came  to  Rockford  in  1858.  Prof.  Hood  was 
for  many  years  at  the  head  of  the  musical  department  of  Rock- 
ford  seminary,  and  for  more  than  ten  years  of  this  period  he 
was  organist  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  church  in  Chicago. 
Prof.  Hood  now  resides  in  Boston.  He  is  father  of  Mrs.  Frank 
D.  Emerson. 

Gilbert  Woodruff  was  born  near  Watertown,  New  York, 
November  20, 1817.  He  came  to  Rockford  in  1857,  and  soon 
after  he  purchased  and  platted  a  farm  which  is  now  known  as 
Woodruff's  Addition.  Easy  terms  of  payment  were  given  pur- 
chasers of  lots.  Mr.  Woodruff  is  therefore  in  a  real  sense  one 
of  the  builders  of  Rockford.  He  has  been  president  of  the  Rock- 
ford  National  Bank  since  its  organization;  president  of  the 
Forest  City  Insurance  Company  since  its  organization  in  1873 ; 
and  president  of  the  Forest  City  Furniture  factory  since  1875. 
In  1842  Mr.  Woodruff  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nancy 
Fay.  They  had  five  children :  Mrs.  Sarah  Parmele,  Volney  D., 
Mrs.  Emma  Ferguson,  William  F.,  and  Mrs.  R.  W.  Emerson. 
Mrs.  Woodruff  died  in  1877.  In  1879  Mr.  Woodruff  married 
Mrs.  Augusta  Todd.  Mr.  Woodruff  was  mayor  of  Rockford 
from  1873  to  1875. 

Horace  W.  Taylor  was  born  in  Granby,  Massachusetts, 
February  1,  1823.  He  was  was  graduated  from  Amherst  in 


M.  L.  GORHAM.—N.  C.  THOMPSON.— THOS.  RUTTERWORTH.     365 

1848.  In  1857  he  came  to  Rockford  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year.  For  forty  years  Mr.  Tay- 
lor was  a  well-known  member  of  the  legal  profession  of  this  city. 
In  1866  he  began  his  work  as  master-in-chancery  under 
appointment  of  Judge  Sheldon.  This  position  he  held  until  his 
death,  except  an  interim  from  1872  to  1876.  Mr.  Taylor  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  legislature  in  1878,  and  served  one 
term.  His  death  occurred  at  a  sanitarium  at  Kenosha,  August 
29,1898.  His  immediate  surviving  family  are:  Mrs.  Taylor, 
and  two  daughters,  Mrs.  J.  R.  Crocker,  of  Chicago,  and  Miss 
Ama.  Mr.  Taylor  was  the  first  president  of  the  New  England 
Society  of  Rockford. 

Marquis  L.  Gorham  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  came  to 
Rockford  in  1857.  He  obtained  a  patent  for  a  seeder  manufact- 
ured by  Clark  &  Utter,  and  for  a  corn  cultivator  made  by  N. 
C.  Thompson.  He  was  also  the  inventor  of  the  first  twine 
binder,  the  patent  for  which  was  sold  to  C.  H.  McCormick.  Mr. 
Gorham  died  at  Philadelphia  in  1876,  while  attending  the  cen- 
tennial exposition,  when  he  was  only  about  forty-five  years  of 
age.  His  daughter,  Mrs.  Alice  Harrison,  died  in  1882,  and  the 
last  surviving  child,  Mrs.  Lillian  Harrison,  died  in  1890. 

Norman  Cornelius  Thompson  was  born  in  Knoxville, 
Georgia,  May  25,  1828.  Mr.  Thompson  entered  Yale  college, 
and  during  his  junior  year  his  father's  home  and  store  were 
destroyed  by  fire.  This  misfortune  changed  his  course  in  life. 
Mr.  Thompson  came  to  Rockford  in  1857.  He  built  one  of  the 
largest  manufacturing  plants  on  the  water-power,  and  his 
immense  output  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  the  prestige 
of  Rockford  as  a  manufacturing  city.  Mr.  Thompson  was  a 
public-spirited  citizen,  and  a  generous  supporter  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  church.  Financial  reverses  overtook  him  in  1884, 
which  resulted  in  the  suspension  of  his  bank  in  East  Rockford, 
and  his  retirement  from  his  manufacturing  industry.  Mr. 
Thompson  died  July  4, 1898.  N.  F.  Thompson,  of  the  Manu- 
facturers National  Bank,  is  a  son,  and  MissNormaC.  Thompson 
is  a  daughter. 

Thomas  Butterworth  was  born  in  Manchester,  England, 
September  6,  1827.  He  learned  brick-lay  ing  in  his  native  coun- 
try. In  his  twentieth  year  he  came  to  America,  and  landed  at 
New  Orleans.  On  account  of  yellow  fever,  he  immediately  went 
to  Cincinnati.  He  entered  the  employ  of  Stacy  &  Company,  the 
proprietors  of  the  Cincinnati  gas  works,  and  in  their  interest 


366          BISTORT  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNT  J. 

he  was  sent  to  repair  the  works  in  Rockford  about  1856.  The 
latter  plant  was  then  owned  by  Lane,  Sanford  &  Co.  He 
remained  in  Rockford  and  assumed  the  management  of  the 
works.  He  also  continued  the  business  of  contractor,  and  built 
Brown's  Hall,  the  old  People's  Bank  building  on  State  street, 
and  other  buildings.  He  subsequently  sold  his  contracting 
business,  and  in  time  became  the  sole  owner  of  the  gas  plant. 
In  1878  Mr.  Butterworth  was  elected  a  member  of  the  legisla- 
ture, as  a  Democrat,  and  served  one  term.  His  death  occurred 
at  Ashville,  North  Carolina,  April  5, 1885.  His  surviving  family 
were  Mrs.  Butterworth,  and  seven  children:  Mrs.  Will  Tullock, 
Mrs.  E.  M.  Botsford,  Mrs.  Paul  F.  Schuster,  Mrs.  Hosmer 
Porter,  Mrs.  Geo.  Roper,  and  Chester  and  William  Butter  worth. 

William  H.  Townsend  came  to  Rockford  in  1857,  from 
Springfield,  Pennsylvania,  He  was  in  affluent  circumstances. 
His  home  was  on  South  Third  street,  well  known  in  later  years 
as  the  residence  of  Dr.  D.  S.  Clark.  Mr.  Townsend  was  a  stock- 
holder and  director  of  the  Rock  River  Mutual  Fire  Insur- 
ance Company,  and  the  later  reverses  of  the  company  were  a 
source  of  such  anxiety  to  him  that  he  became  deranged.  June 
2, 1869,  his  body  was  found  in  Rock  river,  about  four  and  a 
half  miles  south  of  the  city.  Mr.  Townsend  was  about  sixty 
years  of  age,  and  had  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  education. 
He  was  held  in  high  esteem,  and  his  death  was  a  great  shock  to 
the  community.  Mr.  Townsend  was  father  of  Mrs.  D.  S.  Clark. 

F.  H.  Manny  came  to  Rockford  in  1859.  He  was  a  cousin 
of  John  P.  and  John  H.  Manny.  For  some  years  he  was  en- 
gaged in  manufacturing  on  the  water-power.  His  home  was  the 
residence  owned  later  by  W.  F.  Hudler,  on  the  South  side.  He 
met  with  reverses  in  1875,  went  to  Waukegan,  and  from  there 
to  Chicago.  Mr.  Manny  died  in  Chicago  April  15, 1899,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-two  years.  The  remains  were  brought  to  Rock- 
ford  for  interment.  He  had  one  son,  James,  who  so  far  as 
known  by  his  friends,  is  no  longer  living,  and  three  daughters, 
the  first  and  second  Mrs.  Farrington,  and  Miss  Harriett. 

Among  other  well-known  citizens  who  came  to  Rockford 
during  the  period  covered  by  this  chapter  are  the  following: 
George  Trufant,  George  H.  Dennett,  Win.  McKinley,  1855;  A. 
C.  Burpee,  1856;  David  Keyt,  S.  F.  Penfield,  D.  S.  Hough,  H.B. 
Hale,  W.  H.  Smith,  C.  A.  Shaw,  1857;  John  R.  Porter,  1859. 

Other  citizens  engaged  in  active  business  during  the  fifties 
were :  L.  H.  Todd,  dealer  in  boots  and  shoes;  Thomas  Ennett, 


THE  PROPRIETORS  OF  ROCKTON.  367 

contractor ;  D.  Miller,  boots  and  shoes ;  J.  W.  Seccomb,  books ; 
C.  T.  Sackett,  painter;  W.  G.  Johnson,  painter;  Robert  Smith, 
hatter;  J.  B.  Agard,  grain  buyer;  Joseph  Burns,  dry  goods; 
Wm.  Lyman,  physician ;  John  Fraley,  druggist;  Israel  Sovereign, 
hardware  dealer.  James  B.  Skinner,  who  conducted  a  black- 
smith shop  on  North  Main  street,  became  the  founder  of  the 
manufacturing  firm  of  Skinner,  Briggs&  Enoch.  He  was  father 
of  Mrs.  C.  F.  Henry  and  Mrs.  A.  C.  Gray. 

Several  early  settlers  should  have  been  mentioned  in  their 
proper  chronological  order.  Among  these  were  the  Talcott 
family.  The  first  permanent  white  settlers  of  Rockton,  with 
the  exception  of  Stephen  Mack,  were  William  Talcott  and  his 
son,  Thomas  B.  They  came  from  Rome,  New  York,  with  horse 
and  wagon,  in  1835.  The  father  removed  his  family  to  Rock- 
ton  in  1837.  Wait,  Sylvester  and  Henry  Talcott  were  younger 
sons.  William  Talcott  held  a  captain's  commission  in  a  com- 
pany of  New  York  state  militia  during  the  second  war  with 
England.  His  death  occurred  September  2,  1864.  Thomas  B. 
was  one  of  the  first  three  county  commissioners  elected  in  1836. 
He  died  at  Rockton  October  1,  1894.  The  Talcott  family  were 
the  first  proprietors  of  the  northern  village.  Samuel  Talcott 
settled  there  in  1843. 

Levi  Rhoades  was  born  at  Hinsdale,  New  York,  June  25, 
1830.  In  1847  he  came  to  Rockford.  He  learned  the  cooper's 
trade,  and  during  the  war  he  laid  the  foundation  of  a  large 
estate  in  supplying  the  demand  for  barrels.  He  continued  in 
this  business  until  1884.  Mr.  Rhoades  was  interested  in  many 
manufacturing  enterprises,  and  was  a  man  of  great  force  and 
executive  ability.  He  was  elected  mayor  of  Rockford  in  1876, 
and  served  one  year.  His  death  occurred  November  19, 1891. 

W.  D.  Trahern  was  born  in  Louden  county,  Virginia,  March 
24,  1824.  In  1848  he  came  to  Rockford,  and  the  following 
year  he  began  the  manufacture  of  threshing-machines.  In  1862 
Mr.  Trahern  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  iron  pumps.  Mr. 
Trahern  was  successful  in  business,  a  considerate  employer,  and 
was  highly  esteemed.  He  died  November  2, 1883.  0.  P.  Tra- 
hern is  a  son. 


CHAPTER  LXXIV. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY  1850-60. 

DURING  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  F.  A.  Reed,  the  congregation 
of  the  First  Methodist  church  became  so  large  that  he 
suggested  the  formation  of  another  church  on  the  West  side. 
In  1851  the  Methodists  living  on  the  West  side  held  their  Sun- 
day  and  Thursday  evening  prayer-meetings  at  the  home  of  the 
leader,  James  B.  Skinner,  on  North  Main  street.  The  organi- 
zation of  what  is  now  the  Court  Street  Methodist  church  was 
completed  January  1, 1852,  in  the  First  church.  The  charter 
members,  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained,  were  as  as  follows : 
James  B.  Skinner,  Charlotte  L.  Skinner,  William  Hazard, 
Louisa  Hazard,  Elizabeth  Keyes,  Rev.  Wm.  Fowler,  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Fowler,  Daniel  Ticknor,  Thomas  Peters,  Ann  Peters,  Clark 
Fisher,  Francis  Richards,  Lucy  Richards,  James  Preston,  Ann 
Preston,  Jonathan  Hitchcock,  Mrs.  J.  Hitchcock,  Asael  Ives, 
Mary  Ives,  Dr.  Charles  N.Andrews,  Mary  Dewey,  Joanna  Davis, 
George  Boyd,  Alzira  Andrus,  George  Reeves,  Elizabeth  Reeves, 
G.  W.  Reeves,  W.  J.  Cole,  Mary  Cole,  William  Hamley,  John 
Travis,  Mrs.  Travis,  John  Austin,  Mrs.  Austin. 

The  following  board  of  trustees  was  elected:  William  J. 
Cole,  James  Taylor,  Charles  N.  Andrews,  Jonathan  Hitchcock, 
and  James  B.  Skinner.  In  1852  the  Dorcas  Society  was  organ- 
ized. January  14, 1853,  a  lot  was  purchased  on  North  Court 
street,  and  the  erection  of  a  church  was  soon  begun,  with  John 
Austin, architect ;  Jonathan  Hitchcock,  mason;  and  W.  J.Cole, 
carpenter.  During  the  erection  of  the  church,  the  congregation 
worshiped  in  Boyd's  Hall.  Rev.  Luke  Hitchcock  was  presiding 
elder. 

The  conference  of  1853  sent  Rev.  Chatfield,  who  remained  a 
part  of  the  year,  and  then  returned  to  Michigan.  Rev.  William 
Tasker,  pastor  of  the  First  church,  assumed  oversight  of  the 
church  until  the  next  conference.  In  September,  1854,  Rev.  W. 
F.  Stewart  was  appointed  pastor.  The  dedication  of  the  new 
church  occurred  in  November,  1854,  conducted  by  Re  vs.  Hooper 
Crews,  Bolles,  Stuff,  and  Agard.  The  cost  of  the  building  and 


THE  FIRST  MASS.  369 


grounds  was  seven  thousand  dollars.  A  revival  followed  the 
opening  of  the  new  church,  and  during  that  conference  year  one 
hundred  and  forty  persons  were  added  to  their  numbers. 

In  1864  Court  Street  church  was  set  off  in  the  Mt.  Morris 
district,  and  William  T.  Harlow  was  appointed  presiding  elder. 
This  division  of  territory  was  unsatisfactory,  and  in  1865  this 
charge  was  returned  to  the  Rockford  district,  where  it  belonged, 
and  where  it  has  since  remained.  August  26, 1857,  the  confer- 
ence met  with  this  church.  This  conference  was  signalized  by 
the  passage  of  stringent  anti-slavery  resolutions,  and  in  "break- 
ing ground"  for  the  Wesleyan  seminary,  to  which  reference  was 
made  in  a  preceding  chapter.  The  first  pastors  served  in  the 
following  order:  1853-54,  Rev.  Chatfield;  1854-55,  Rev.  W.  F. 
Stewart;  1856-58,  Rev.  Luman  A.  Sanford;  1858-60,  William 
P.  Gray;  1860-61,  Revs.  James  R.  Goodrich,  William  E. 
Daniels,  T.  B.  Taylor.  Rev.  J.  H.  Vincent,  founder  of  the  Chau- 
tauqua  movement,  and  now  a  bishop  of  the  church,  was  pastor 
from  1861  to  1864.  During  his  absence  on  a  trip  to  Europe, 
the  pulpit  was  supplied  by  Rev.  Daniel  P.  Kidder,  D.  D. 

Information  concerning  the  early  history  of  St.  James' 
Roman  Catholic  church  is  very  meager.  The  records  are  said 
to  have  been  destroyed  in  the  Chicago  fire  of  1871.  Mass  was 
celebrated  in  the  homes  of  Catholic  settlers  of  Rockford  by 
priests  located  at  New  Dublin  and  Freeport,  previous  to  1850. 
Father  Gueguen  said  mass  and  baptized  children  in  1840. 
The  permanent  organization  dates  from  1850.  John  McAnar- 
ney  is  said  to  be  the  oldest  resident  Catholic  in  the  city.  In 
1851  Artemas  Hitchcock  and  wife  conveyed  to  Rt.  Rev.  James 
Oliver  Van  de  Velde,  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  lot  one 
in  block  twenty-six,  as  found  in  Duncan  Ferguson's  map  of  the 
village.  A  second  conveyance  was  from  John  Lee  and  wife  to 
Anthony  Regan,  bishop  of  Chicago,  of  lot  two  in  the  same  block, 
for  four  hundred  dollars.  Father  Hampston  was  appointed 
priest  of  the  parish  in  1851  by  Bishop  Van  de  Velde.  He  was  the 
first  resident  pastor,  and  built  the  first  church  in  1852.  It  was 
a  small,  one-story  frame  structure,  with  a  seating  capacity  for 
two  hundred  people.  The  citizens  of  the  town  contributed  a 
portion  of  the  money  with  which  the  church  was  erected.  Father 
Hampston  died  while  in  charge  of  the  parish,  and  is  buried  under 
the  present  church.  He  was  a  man  of  studious  habits,  modest 
and  retiring  in  manner,  and  highly  respected  by  the  citizens. 


370          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

The  present  St.  James'  church  was  begun  in  1866,  and  dedi- 
cated the  folio  wing  year,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.S.  O'Neill. 
The  pastors  of  St.  James'  church  have  been  as  follows :  Revs. 
John  Hampston,  George  Hamilton,  William  Lambert,  J.  Bulger, 
John  P.  Donelan,  J.  S.  O'Neill,  Joseph  McMahon,  T.  J.  Butler, 
James  J.  Flaherty.  The  only  surviving  pastors  are  Fathers 
McMahon  and  Flaherty.  The  latter  started  the  parochial  school 
in  1886,  and  in  1891  completed  the  present  brick  structure. 
The  school  is  in  charge  of  the  Dominican  Sisters. 

Dean  Butler  was  a  priest  of  more  than  local  reputation.  He 
was  born  in  Limerick,  Ireland.  He  completed  his  education  in 
the  College  of  the  Propaganda,  in  Rome.  He  possessed  unuslial 
musical  ability ;  and  while  in  Rome  was  a  member  of  the  pope's 
choir.  It  is  said  Dean  Butler  was  the  papal  ambassador  at  the 
baptism  of  the  Prince  Imperial,  son  of  Napoleon  III.  and  Eugenie. 
During  the  civil  war,  Dean  Butler  was  chaplain  of  the  Irish  Bri- 
gade. He  was  a  man  of  literary  tastes,  and  for  some  years  was 
a  member  of  the  Rockford  public  library  board.  Dean  Butler 
died  at  Rome  in  July,  1897. 

The  formal  organization  of  Presbyterianism  in  Rockford 
occurred  in  1854.  There  were  Presbyterians,  however,  in  the 
city  before  that  time.  These  naturally  affiliated  with  the  Con- 
gregational churches,  and  were  not  an  unimportant  element  in 
their  strength.  The  building  begun  as  a  Congregational  church 
on  North  First  street,  and  afterward  abandoned,  was  often 
called  the  Presbyterian  church.  It  was  really  the  joint  effort 
of  Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians.  The  Presbyterian 
clergy  of  this  country  have  been  distinguished  for  piety  and  cul- 
ture, and  the  church  has  been  a  stalwart  champion  of  the  fun- 
damental Christian  doctrines.  The  writer  is  indebted  for  the 
facts  given  herewith  to  historical  addresses  delivered  by  Rev. 
James  Cruickshanks  and  Rev.  J.  K.  Fowler. 

Early  in  1853  a  few  devout  adherents  of  this  faith  lay  the 
foundations  of  a  Presbyterian  church  in  Rockford.  The  first 
meeting  was  held  in  the  summer  in  the  old  court  house  (the 
abandoned  Congregational  church)  on  the  east  side  of  the  river. 
Rev.  R.  G.  Thompson,  of  Beloit,  preached  the  first  sermon  to  a 
congregation  of  twelve  persons.  Services  were  subsequently 
conducted  at  intervals  by  members  of  the  Chicago  presbytery, 
until  the  arrival  in  December  of  Rev.  Hugh  A.  Brown.  In 
November,  1853,  these  services  were  held  in  Peake's  Hall  and 


REV.  J.  M.  PARIS  CALLED.  371 

in  the  court  house.  In  December  services  were  regularly  held 
twice  each  sabbath ;  first  in  Horsman's  Hall,  and  later  in  War- 
ner's hall,  over  C.  F.  Henry's  clothing  store.  February  1, 1854, 
the  little  band  resumed  worship  in  the  court  house,  where,  July 
8th  of  the  same  year  the  formal  organization  of  the  First  Pres- 
byterian church  of  Rockford  was  duly  effected,  with  thirty-eight 
members.  Rev.  G.  F.  Goodhue,  of  Marengo,  presided. 

The  original  members  of  this  church  were  as  follows :  Wil- 
liam Johnson,  Christina  Johnson,  Margaret  Johnson,  Deborah 
Burns,  Charles  M.  Priestly,  James  Forbes,  Esther  Armstrong, 
Isabella  Marshall,  Elizabeth  Clow,  William  McCall,  James  Nes- 
bit;  John  Bull,  Rebecca  Kozier,  Thomas  Meredith,  Grace 
Hinch,  John  Martin,  A.  Ferguson,  Mary  Parland,  Janet  Shep- 
herd, Mary  Johnson,  Archibald  Johnson,  Michael  Burns,  Shep- 
ley  Priestly,  Fanny  Moore,  Petrina  Forbes,  Peter  R.  Marshall, 
Robert  Clow,  Sarah  Forbes,  Jane  Blaine,  Anna  Nesbit,  Sarah 
Bull,  David*  Meredith,  Nancy  Meredith,  Elizabeth  Lijin,  Mary 
Martin,  Mrs.  A.  Ferguson,  William  Shepherd,  and  John  Tul- 
lock.  William  Johnson,  Michael  Burns,  Thomas  Meredith  and 
Shepley  Priestly  were  chosen  to  the  eldership,  and  Robert  Clow 
and  William  McCall  were  elected  deacons,  who  were  ordained 
and  installed  in  their  respective  offices  on  the  following  day. 
A  choir  was  employed  September  17th  to  lead  in  the  service  of 
song,  and  November,  1855,  the  choir,  by  a  resolution  passed  in 
the  session,  was  allowed  the  use  of  an  instrument  for  use  in  pub- 
lic worship.  In  October,  1855,  H.  C.  Meslor  and  William  Shep- 
herd were  elected  and  installed  as  ruling  elders. 

December  3, 1855,  the  clerk  of  the  session  was  instructed  to 
apply  to  the  board  of  domestic  missions  for  an  appropriation 
of  three  hundred  dollars  to  aid  in  the  support  of  Rev.  Hugh  A. 
Brown,  as  the  stated  supply  of  the  church.  February  10, 1857, 
Rev.  Moses  Ordway,  of  the  presbytery  of  Chicago,  was  requested 
to  be  present  at  a  meeting  to  make  choice  of  a  pastor.  Rev. 
Hugh  A.  Brown  was  chosen.  He  declined  the  call,  though  he 
continued  to  supply  the  pulpit  until  January  1,  1858,  when 
Rev.  John  M.  Faris,  of  the  Richland  presbytery,  synod  of  Ohio, 
was  unanimously  chosen  pastor. 

The  first  report  to  the  presbytery  in  1855  shows  that  the 
membership  had  increased  to  fifty-five,  the  families  to  thirty- 
eight,  and  the  congregational  expenses  to  six  hundred  and 
twenty-five  dollars.  Rev.  Faris' pastorate  continued  four  years 
and  a  half,  until  October,  1862,  when  failing  health  made  his 


372         HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  W1NNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

resignation  necessary.  His  pastorate  was  successful.  The 
communicants  increased  the  first  year  from  seventy-seven  to 
ninety-seven,  and  the  congregational  expenses  from  seven  hun- 
dred to  thirteen  hundred  dollars. 

Rev.  Faris'  successors  have  been  Revs.  Faunt  Leroy  Senour, 
J.  S.  Grimes,  A.  J.  Leyenberger  (now  shortened  to  Berger), 
James  Cruickshanks,  J.  K.  Fowler,  J.  R.  Sutherland,  George 
Harkness,  B.  E.  S.  Ely. 

In  September  following  the  organization  the  congregation 
worshiped  in  the  old  Unitarian  church,  on  the  northeast  corner 
of  Elm  and  Church  streets.  Services  were  held  in  the  old  court 
house  from  November,  1854,  until  March  1, 1855,  when  the  old 
Unitarian  church  was  purchased.  The  society  used  it  for  a  time 
on  the  old  site,  and  then  removed  it  to  the  northeast  corner 
of  State  and  Winnebago  streets,  where  the  church  continued  to 
worship  until  December  20, 1868,  when  they  took  possession  of 
their  present  house  of  worship. 

The  sabbath-school  antedates  the  church  six  months.  It 
was  organized  the  last  Wednesday  in  December,  1853,  with 
fifteen  pupils,  promptly  after  a  stated  supply  had  reached  the 
field.  Mr.  Brown  may  have  directed  the  school  for  a  time,  but 
Michael  Burns  was  the  first  superintendent. 

The  First  Swedish  Lutheran  church  was  organized  January 
15,  1854,  with  seventy-seven  communicants  and  thirty-two 
children.  Late  in  the  summer  of  1855  it  was  decided  to  build  a 
church.  The  original  estimate  of  cost  was  seven  hundred  and 
seventy-five  dollars.  Its  actual  cost,  however,  was  sixteen 
hundred  dollars.  This  church  was  erected  on  the  corner  of 
North  First  street  and  what  is  now  Lafayette  avenue.  It  was 
a  frame  structure,  forty-five  by  thirty-eight  feet,  and  twenty- 
eight  feet  high.  It  had  a  seating  capacity  for  three  hundred 
persons.  The  dedication  occurred  November  23,  1856.  Dr. 
Hasselquist  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon.  This  building  is 
still  standing,  and  forms  a  part  of  J.  Friedman's  double  house 
on  North  First  street. 

The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  A.  Andren,  who  was  called  in  the 
spring  of  1856,  and  entered  upon  his  duties  in  August  of  the 
same  year.  Rev.  Andren  built  a  parsonage  on  the  church  lot 
at  his  own  expense,  with  the  understanding  that  afc  the  termi- 
nation of  his  pastorate  the  church  should  buy  the  building  at 
its  original  cost.  Rev.  Andren's  pastorate  continued  until  the 


THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.-WESTMINSTER  PRESBTTERIAN.    373 

close  of  1860,  when  he  removed  to  Attica,  Indiana.  In  May, 
1860,  the  church  decided  to  withdraw  from  the  synod  of  North- 
ern Illinois,  and  join  the  Augustana  synod.  At  that  time  the 
church  had  one  hundred  and  fifteen  communicants. 

The  present  church  was  built  in  1883,  at  a  cost  of  about 
sixty  thousand  dollars.  It  is  the  largest  auditorium  in  the  city, 
with  a  seating  capacity  for  eighteen  hundred.  Its  membership 
is  fifteen  hundred,  with  eight  hundred  children.  This  is  the  larg- 
est membership  of  any  Swedish  Lutheran  church  in  America. 

The  Christian  church  was  organized  March  18,  1856,  with 
twenty-five  members.  They  first  held  meetings  in  the  old  court 
house.  Thefirst  records  are  meagre.  An  edifice  was  completed  in 
1856.  It  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Trinity  Lutheran  church,  and 
its  estimated  cost  was  $1,748.  The  clergy  of  the  Christian 
church  discarded  the  prefix  Reverend.  The  first  elder  was  Issac 
Shaver,  who  served  one  year.  He  was  succeeded  by  L.  J. 
Correll,  who  remained  two  years.  Lorenzo  D.  Waldo,  who  came 
to  Rockford  in  1845,  was  for  thirty-two  years  an  elder  of 
this  church,  and  an  honored  and  faithful  minister  of  the  gospel. 
Mr.  Waldo  died  July  12, 1888.  He  was  father  of  Billings  R., 
Henry  D.,  and  Misses  Jennie,  Mabel  and  Ada  Waldo. 

The  Westminster  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  Jan- 
uary 3, 1856,  with  twenty-two  members.  Many  of  these  had 
taken  letters  from  the  First  Congregational  church.  A  frater- 
nal feeling  prevailed  at  the  time  of  separation,  but  there  was  a 
conviction  among  those  who  were  distinctively  Presbyterian 
that  there  was  an  opportunity  for  a  society  of  that  faith.  The 
organization  of  the  church  occurred  in  the  old  Congregational 
church.  It  was  first  called  the  Second  Presbyterian  church, 
and  the  name  was  subsequently  changed  to  Westminster. 

The  constituent  members  were  as  follows :  Thomas  Garri- 
son, Mrs.  Electa  Garrison,  Ralph  Giddings,  Mrs.  Cornelia  Gid- 
dings,  Joel  B.  Potter,  Mrs.  Adaline  B.  Potter,  E.  S.  Rose,  Mrs. 
Jerusha  C.  Rose,  Eliza  W.  Rose  (now  Mrs.  E.  T.  Cleveland), 
Charles  Williams,  Mrs.  Sarah  S.  Williams,  Frederick  A.  Hart, 
Mrs.  Sylvia  Hart,  Eusebia  More,  Eliza  White,  Stephen  Rose, 
Mrs.  Amanda  H.  Rose,  Frances  Rose,  Stephen  Rose,  Jr.,  J.  H. 
Wheat,  Mrs.  Frances  E.  Wheat,  Juliet  F.  Wheat.  Three  of  this 
number  are  still  residing  in  Rockford:  Mrs.  Adaline  Potter,  Mrs. 
E.  T.  Cleveland  (formerly  Miss  Eliza  M.  Rose),  and  Mrs.  Frances 
E.  Wheat.  Joel  B.  Potter,  Charles  Williams,  J.  H.  Wheat  and 


374          BISTORT  OF  ROCKFOBD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

J.  S.  Rose  constituted  the  first  board  of  elders.  The  first  dea- 
cons were  Stephen  Rose  and  Ralph  Giddings.  Rev.  Morrison 
Huggins  was  the  first  pastor,  who  served  until  1859.  He  liter- 
ally gave  his  life  for  his  people,  and  died  during  his  pastorate. 
As  he  consciously  drew  near  the  end,  he  said:  "A  pastor's 
death-bed  is  his  people's." 

The  first  place  of  worship  was  the  historic  court  house  on 
North  First  street.  In  the  summer  of  1856  a  chapel  was  com- 
pleted on  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the  lecture  room  of  the 
church.  This  chapel  soon  proved  too  small,  and  public  worship 
was  conducted  in  Metropolitan  Hall,  pending  the  erection  of 
the  present  church,  which  was  dedicated  in  1858. 

The  following  have  served  the  church  as  pastors  or  stated 
supplies:  Revs.  Morrison  Huggins,  L.  H.  Johnson,  Charles 
Mattoon,  Charles  A.  Williams,  W.  S.  Curtis,  J.  H.  Ritchie,  T.  S. 
Scott,  S.  L.  Conde,  W.  M.  Campbell,  W.  T.  Wilcox. 

The  Winnebago  Street  church  had  its  origin  in  a  Sunday- 
school,  which  was  started  May  20, 1856,  and  which  held  its  ses- 
sions in  a  grove  on  the  river  bank.  From  the  grove,  in  Octo- 
ber, the  school  went,  by  invitation  of  the  directors,  into  the 
new  Kent  schoolhouse.  The  Sunday-school  continued  to  grow 
until  a  church  became  a  necessity.  The  sabbath-school  was 
under  the  supervision  of  the  Court  Street  church.  The  church 
was  organized  March  4, 1864,  at  the  home  of  Israel  Sovereign. 
The  presiding  elder,  Richard  A.  Blanchard,  acted  as  chairman. 
The  roll  of  members  numbered  twenty-eight.  The  following 
board  of  trustees  was  elected :  Israel  Sovereign,  Fred.  A.  Arnold, 
Josephus  Lakin,  Benjamin  F.  Whittle,  and  Stephen  Thayer.- 
Ground  was  broken  for  the  new  church  August  8, 1864.  The 
corner-stone  was  laid  August  24th.  The  address  was  made  by 
Rev.  Thomas  M.  Eddy.  The  cost  of  the  church  was  eight  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  was  dedicated  February  12,  1865,  by  Dr. 
Eddy.  The  parsonage  was  built  in  1867,  at  a  cost  of  twelve 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  Rev.  Robert  Bentley  served  as  pas- 
tor from  1864  to  1866  ;  Rev.  William  D.  Skelton  from  1866  to 
1869;  Henry  L.  Martin,  1869  to  1871. 

One  of  the  results  of  the  religious  revival  of  1858  was  the 
formation  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  The  first 
meeting  preliminary  to  organization  was  held  May  4, 1858,  at 
the  First  Presbyterian  church.  A  motion  prevailed  that  an 
Association  be  formed,  and  an  adjournment  was  taken  to 


YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION.  375 

Tuesday  evening,  May  llth.  The  next  meeting,  however,  was 
not  held  until  the  18th,  when  the  constitution  was  signed  by 
sixty  persons,  all  of  whom  were  members  of  the  various  evan- 
gelical churches  of  the  city.  May  25th,  the  Association  met  at 
the  Baptist  church.  Rev.  Hooper  Crews  delivered  the  inaug- 
ural address,  and  the  constitution  was  signed  by  forty-five 
persons.  On  the  following  Tuesday  evening,  June  1st,  the 
Association  elected  a  portion  of  their  officers,  and  at  their 
next  meeting,  June  8th,  the  organization  was  completed. 
The  officers  were  as  follows:  President,  Horace  W.  Taylor; 
vice-presidents,  S.  F.  Penfield,  C.  E.  Buswell,  William  Wasson, 
Lewis  Williams,  R.  P.  Lane,  William  Brown,  V.  Daniels ;  corre- 
sponding secretary,  E.  C.  Daugherty;  record  ing  secretary,  0.  A. 
Pennoyer;  treasurer,  William  Culver;  librarian,  C.  E.  Wingate. 
A  standing  committee  and  a  committee  on  library  and  lectures 
were  appointed.  The  lecture  and  library  committees  were 
requested  to  procure  Sunday  evening  lectures,  as  often  as  once 
in  each  month,  from  the  pastors  of  the  city  and  others. 

During  this  formative  period  several  animated  discussions 
were  held  concerning  the  eligibility  of  Unitarians  to  member- 
ship. Among  the  leaders  of  the  affirmative  were  Rev.  A.  H. 
Conaiit  and  Melancthon  Starr.  The  Association  was  pros- 
perous for  about  three  years.  The  last  president  was  Lucius  M. 
West.  The  outbreak  of  the  civil  war  drew  many  of  the  young 
men  into  military  service,  and  the  Association  ceased  to  exist 
about  1861.  The  meetings  were  held  on  the  second  floor  of  the 
stone  building  on  the  southeast  corner  of  State  and  Wyman 
streets.  Last  year  Charles  L.  Williams  found  the  records  of  the 
Association  among  his  household  effects,  and  presented  them 
to  the  present  Association. 

The  Third  Street  church  was  the  second  daughter  of  the  First 
church.  It  was  organized  January  9, 1858,  with  about  eighty 
members,  while  Rev.  Hooper  Crews  was  pastor  of  the  parent 
church.  Messrs.  Benjamin  Holt,  William  Brown,  Charles  Foster, 
Solomon  Wheeler,  George  Troxell,  Willard  Wheeler,  William 
Worthington,  Francis  A.  Horn  and  James  Chick  constituted 
the  first  board  of  trustees.  Two  lots  were  purchased  on  the 
east  side  of  North  Third  street  for  twelve  hundred  dollars. 
The  church  was  built  by  John  Early  in  1858  at  a  cost  of  four 
thousand  dollars.  It  was  dedicated  by  Hooper  Crews,  Satur- 
day, October  9, 1858.  Rev.  Thomas  M.  Eddy,  the  well-known 


376          HISTORY  OF  ROCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

editor  and  author,  preached  the  following  Sunday  morning.  A 
small  parsonage  was  built  adjoining  the  edifice  on  the  north  in 
1859,  at  a  cost  of  six  hundred  dollars.  In  1866  the  church  was 
enlarged  and  improved  at  an  outlay  of  eighteen  hundred 
dollars.  In  1871  the  society  bought  a  parsonage  on  State 
street,  nearly  opposite  the  Baptist  church,  for  three  thousand 
and  nine  hundred  dollars.  This  property  was  subsequently 
owned  by  Henry  C.  Gill.  In  1874  the  society  sold  the  former 
parsonage  on  Third  street  for  thirteen  hundred  dollars.  This 
church  was  visited  by  several  successful  revivals. 

The  Third  Street  church  became  strong  and  influential.  Rev. 
Nathaniel  P.  Heath  served  from  1858-60;  Rev.  Luman  A. 
Sanford,  1860-62.  May  19, 1876,  the  First  church  and  the  Third 
Street  church  concluded  to  unite  their  fortunes  and  spend  their 
future  as  one  body,  under  the  name  of  the  Centennial  church. 

The  State  Street  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  1858. 
During  Rev.  Ichabod  Clark's  pastorate  of  the  First  Baptist 
church,  letters  were  granted  to  thirty -four  members  who  wished 
to  organize  a  society  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  This  pur- 
pose had  its  origin  in  the  prayer-meetings  held  by  the  Baptist 
women  in  that  part  of  the  city.  The  first  formal  step  to  ward  the 
new  church  was  the  organization  of  a  Sunday-school,  July  4, 
1858.  July  13th,  a  prayer-meeting  was  held  in  the  vestry  of  the 
Westminster  Presbyterian  church,  at  which  notice  was  given 
that  two  weeks  from  that  date  a  second  meeting  of  those  inter- 
ested in  the  new  movement  would  be  held. 

The  organization  of  the  church  was  formally  completed  in 
the  vestry  of  the  Presbyterian  church  August  17,  1858,  with 
the  following  constitutent  members :  C.  E.  Buswell,  A.  S.  Bus- 
well,  Eliza  Barker,  Charles  Barker,  Sophia  C.  Chamberlain, 
Brewster  H.  Chamberlin,  Susan  Cram  (Mrs.  P.  Mesick),  Armina 
Cram,  Ruhanna  Compton,  Amanda  Crane,  Abby  M.  Dennis, 
James  T.  Dunn,  Jane  L.  Dunn,  Ann  A.  Dunn,  Thompson  Dunn, 
Stephen  Gilbert,  Sarah  Gilbert,  Maria  Gilbert,  Jacob  Hazlett, 
Jane  Hazlett,  Catherine  Hazlett,  Margaret  Hazlett  (Mrs.  J.  P. 
Largent),  James  B.  Howell,  Cardina  M.  Hathaway,  H.  H. 
Guthrie,  Ellen  Miles,  George  Mills,  Susan  Mills,  Chichester  Mills, 
Elizabeth  M.  Mills,  Erastus  B.  Perry,  E.  R.  Riggs,  Charlotte  A. 
Riggs,  Sarah  A.  Stearns.  Six  of  this  number  are  still  living  in 
Rockford  :  Jacob  Hazlett,  Mrs.  Jane  Hazlett,  Catherine  Haz- 
lett, Mrs.  J.  P.  Largent,  Miss  Eliza  Barker,  and  J.  B.  Howell. 


STA TE  STREET  BAPTIST  CHURCH.  377 

The  first  board  of  deacons  consisted  of  E.  R.  Riggs,  J.  T.  Dunn 
and  C.  E.  Buswell;  Chichester  Mills,  clerk;  R.  Smith,  treasurer. 

The  next  day,  Rev.  Edward  C.  Mitchell  arrived  in  the  city. 
August  31st  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  which  he  accepted 
September  14th.  The  terms  were  three  hundred  dollars  in 
cash,  an  equal  amount  in  board  for  himself  and  wife,  and  two 
hundred  dollars  additional  if  circumstances  permitted.  One  of 
the  first  steps  was  the  engagement  of  Prof.  D.  N.  Hood  to  con- 
duct the  music.  The  church  was  prosperous  during  Dr.  Mitch- 
ell's pastorate.  A  sociable  was  held  in  Metropolitan  Hall,  and 
plans  perfected  for  a  house  of  worship.  A  little  chapel  was 
erected  on  the  corner  of  Market,  State  and  North  Fifth  streets, 
which  is  still  standing.  This  chapel  was  dedicated  February  2, 
1860.  Its  cost  was  eighteen  hundred  dollars.  It  had  sittings 
for  two  hundred  and  fifty  people.  This  house  was  built  at  a 
cost  of  ceaseless  industry  and  sacrifice,  and  with  some  of  the 
forms  of  special  effort  incident  to  pioneer  times.  For  nearly 
nine  years  this  chapel  remained  the  home  of  the  society. 

The  organization  was  first  called  the  Second  Baptist  church 
of  Rockford,  but  on  the  choice  of  a  permanent  location,  the 
name  was  changed  to  indicate  its  relationship  to  the  city,  to 
the  State  Street  Baptist  church,  October  26, 1858. 

The  present  house  of  worship  was  dedicated  November  18, 
1868 ;  the  cost  was  more  than  thirty-four  thousand  dollars. 

Dr.  Mitchell's  successors  have  been :  Revs.  Spencer  F.  Holt, 
Henry  C.  Mabie,  E.  K.  Chandler,  A.  R.  Medbury,  C.  R.  Lathrop, 
J.  T.  Burhoe,  R.  F.  Y.  Pierce,  Langley  B.  Sears,  J.  T.  Burhoe. 
Rev.  Burhoe's  first  pastorate  was  the  longest  in  the  history  of 
the  church.  It  began  in  September,  1883,  and  closed  in  Febru- 
ary, 1892.  His  present  pastorate  began  in  November,  1898. 

Dr.  Mitchell,  the  first  pastor,  died  in  New  Orleans,  in  Febru- 
ary, 1900.  He  held  positions  of  influence  in  his  denomination. 
He  was  professor  of  Biblical  literature  at  Shurtleff  college;  held 
the  chair  of  Hebrew  and  Old  Testament  interpretation  in  the 
Baptist  Union  theological  seminary;  professor  of  Hebrew  in 
Regent's  Park  college,  London;  president  of  a  Baptist  theo- 
logical school  in  Paris;  acting  president  of  Roger  Williams  uni- 
versity, at  Nashville,  Tennessee;  president  of  Leland  university, 
New  Orleans.  He  also  did  considerable  literary  work.  In  1879 
he  revised  and  edited  Davies'  Hebrew  and  Chaldee  Lexicon  ; 
with  this  he  issued  the  Principles  of  Hebrew  Grammar.  In  1880 
be  issued  a  new  translation  of  Gesenius'  Hebrew  Grammar, 


CHAPTER  LXXV. 

CONCLUSION. 

THE  presidential  election  of  1860  marked  an  epoch  in  Amer- 
ican history.  The  nation  had  come  to  the  parting  of  the 
ways.  Mr.  Lincoln's  prophecy  that  the  government  could  not 
permanently  endure  half  slave  and  half  free,  was  about  to  be 
demonstrated  before  the  world.  Mr.  Lincoln,  by  reason  of  his 
profound  insight  into  the  political  situation,  which  he  had 
shown  in  his  debates  with  Judge  Douglas,  was  the  logical  can- 
didate of  his  party. 

The  nomination  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was  received  with  great 
enthusiasm  by  the  citizens  of  Rockford.  In  August  the  Rock- 
ford  Wide  Awake  Club  was  organized.  Its  object  was  co-oper- 
ation for  the  success  of  Republican  principles  and  the  election 
of  Mr.  Lincoln. 

Saturday,  September  1st,  was  a  Republican  rally  day.  The 
Wide  Awake  Clubs  from  neighboring  towns  were  present.  The 
special  attraction  was  Cassius  M.  Clay,  the  celebrated  orator 
of  Kentucky.  The  exercises  were  held  on  the  court  house 
square,  and  it  was  estimated  that  fully  twelve  thousand  people 
were  in  attendance.  The  first  speech  was  made  by  Hon.  James 
H.  Baker,  secretary  of  state  of  Minnesota.  Mr.  Clay  was  intro- 
duced by  Judge  S.  M.  Church.  "His  oratory,"  said  the  Register, 
"is  not  of  the  fervid  kind,  but  he  is  a  calm,  cool,  deliberate 
speaker,  laying  out  his  ideas  into  square  blocks  of  solid  argu- 
ment and  building  up  an  edifice  supported  by  facts  and  figures 
which  it  is  absolutely  impossible  to  undermine  or  batterdown." 

During  September  and  October,  a  series  of  joint  discussions 
was  held  by  Judge  Allen  C.  Fuller,  of  Belvidere,  and  John  A. 
Rawlins,  of  Galena,  on  the  political  issues  of  the  day.  One 
joint  debate  was  held  in  each  county  of  the  First  congressional 
district.  Judge  Fuller  was  the  Republican  candidate  for  presi- 
dential elector,  and  Mr.  Rawlins  was  the  candidate  of  the  Doug- 
las Democracy.  One  discussion  was  held  in  Rockford  Septem- 


ELECTION  OF  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN.  379 

ber  29th.  These  debates  have  a  historic  interest  by  reason  of 
the  subsequent  prominence  of  the  participants.  Judge  Fuller 
became  the  war  adjutant  of  the  state,  and  in  this  capacity  he 
displayed  great  executive  ability,  and  was  the  able  supporter 
of  Governor  Yates,  in  the  organization  of  the  military  forces 
of  the  state.  Judge  Fuller  still  resides  in  Belvidere.  Upon  the 
outbreak  of  the  war  in  1861,  Mr.  Rawlins  came  promptly  to 
the  support  of  the  union  cause;  he  was  the  confidential  friend 
and  adviser  of  General  Grant  during  his  campaigns,  and  in 
1869  he  became  his  secretary  of  war. 

Among  other  gentlemen  who  made  addresses  in  Rockford 
during  the  campaign  were  Judge  Lyman  Trumbull,  Stephen  A. 
Hurlbub,  Governor  Bebb,  Melaucthon  Smith,  Colonel  Ellis, 
James  L.  Loop  and  Judge  Church.  Richard  Yates  and  Owen 
Lovejoy  made  speeches  at  Belvidere  October  9th. 

The  presidential  election  was  held  November  6th.  Winne- 
bago  county  cast  3,985  votes  for  Abraham  Lincoln  and  817 
for  Judge  Douglas;  Richard  Yates  received  3,986  votes  for 
governor,  and  Mr.  Allen  826. 

The  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was  perhaps  the  most  notable 
event  in  the  life  of  the  nation.  The  shouts  of  victory  had 
scarcely  died  away  when  one  southern  state  after  another 
openly  revolted  from  the  authority  of  the  union.  The  election 
of  Mr.  Lincoln  brought  the  sword,  rather  than  peace.  But  the 
sword  was  drawn  in  a  holy  cause.  For  two  hundred  and  fifty 
years  the  irrepressible  conflict  between  freedom  and  slavery  had 
continued.  The  "land  of  the  free"  had  made  iniquity  her  law. 
Millions  of  bondsmen  wet  the  soil  with  tears  and  blood.  Cause 
and  Effect,  the  chancellors  of  God,  had  come  to  enforce  the 
truth  that  there  were  rights  that  states  must  keep  or  they  shall 
suffer  for  their  sins.  Victor  Hugo  says  of  Napoleon  at  Water- 
loo :  "For  Bonaparte  to  be  conqueror  at  Waterloo  was  not  in 
the  law  of  the  nineteenth  century.  .  .  When  the  earth  is  suf- 
fering from  a  surcharge  there  are  mysterious  meanings  from 
the  deeps  that  the  heavens  hear.  Napoleon  had  been  impeached 
before  the  Infinite  and  his  fall  was  decreed.  He  vexed  God. 
Waterloo  is  not  a  battle ;  it  is  the  change  of  front  of  the  uni- 
verse." So  the  Slave- Power  had  overleaped  itself,  and  could  no 
longer  resist  the  advance  of  a  more  enlightened  Christian  civil- 
ization. 

Abraham  Lincoln  was  the  divinely-appointed  man  for  the 
hour.  There  seem  to  be  certain  superhuman  adjustments  that 


380         HISTORY  Of  EOCKFORD  AND  WINNEBAGO  COUNTY. 

philosophy  does  not  explain,  that  work  out  righteous  results. 
Human  wisdom  does  not  foresee  them;  they  do  not  destroy 
human  freedom, but  they  do  achieve  their  results  with  infallible 
certainty.  The  leaders  of  such  events  are  like  vEneas  in  the 
fable :  they  are  often  covered  with  a  cloud  woven  by  divine  fin- 
gers, and  men  do  not  see  them.  But  when  they  are  needed  the 
cloud  breaks  away,  and  they  stand  before  the  world  prepared 
to  do  their  work.  Such  a  man  was  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  was 
called  to  lead  in  a  war  made  holy  by  the  quickened  moral  con- 
science of  the  nation.  Poets,  and  reformers,  and  statesmen 
had  cast  up  the  high  way  for  the  King,  who  should  visit  the  nation 
with  chastening.  This  judgment  day  was  at  hand,  because 
Phillips,  and  Garrison,  and  Sumner  had  come ;  because  Whittier, 
and  Lowell,  and  Harriett  Beecher  Stowe  had  come  ;  because 
Lincoln,  and  Seward,  and  Chase  had  come  ;  because  Grant,  and 
Sherman,  and  Sheridan  had  come;  because  the  great  and  terri- 
ble day  of  the  Lord  had  come ! 


INDEX 


Agricultural  society  organized,  172. 
Ailing,  D.  D.,  49,  152,  156,  243,  245. 
Amusements,  village,  133. 
Andrue,  Isaac,  246. 
Articles  of  Confederation,  4. 
Atlantic  cable  celebration,  357. 
Attorneys,  city,  316. 
Atwater,  Caleb,  12. 

Baker,  Col.  Edward  D.,  207. 
Baker,  Hon.  E.  H.,  122-123,  347. 
Baker,  Henry  N.,  123. 
Baker,  Ira,  92,  122,  123. 
Banditti  of  the  Frontier,  174-187. 
BANKS  : 

Briggs,  Spafford  &  Penfield,  123,331. 

Dickerman,  Wheeler  &  Co.,  49,  331. 

E.  H.  Potter  &  Co.,  331. 

Fuller  &  Tomkins,  331. 

Horsinan's  Bank,  317,  331. 

Kitchel,  Edward  N.,  331. 

Lane,  Sanford  &  Co.,  49,  235. 

Robertson  &  Holland,  331. 

Spafford,  Clark  &  Ellis,  331. 

Winnebago  National  Bank,  355. 
Barbour,  0.  F.,  343. 
Barnard,  D.  A.,  340. 
Barnum,  Anson,  38,  86,  100,  155. 
Barnum,  Daniel,  129. 
Barnum,  Ezra,  38,  86,  87. 
Barnum,  Harris,  129-130. 
Baume,  Rev.  James,  73. 
Beattie,  John,  49,  144,  159,  246. 
Beattie,  Misses  10,  49. 
Bebb,  Gov.,  trial  of,  358-359. 
Beers,  Daniel,  38,  69,  71,  100. 
Bertrand  &  Sames,  324. 
Big  Thunder,  34,  111. 
Births,  first,  76. 
Black  Hawk,  16-21. 
Black  Hawk  War,  14, 16-21,  63. 
Black,  Ike,  45,  46. 
Blackmer,  0.  C.,  342. 
Blackstone,  E.  S.,  104,131, 185,  237. 
Blaisdell,  E.  W.,  218-219. 
Blake  School,  31. 
Blake,  Thatcher,  27,  31,36,63,87, 

106. 

Blake,  Mrs.  Thatcher,  31,  43. 
Blair,  John,  353. 
Blakeman,  Benjamin,  363. 
Blinn,  Jesse,  313,  322,  333. 
Boilvin,  Nicholas,  58,  59. 


Boswell,  James,  36. 

Brett,  Mrs.  Carrie,  126,  244,  356. 

BRIDGES  : 

First  Rockford,  231-233. 

Second  Rockford,  314. 
Bridge  tax  levy,  233. 
Briggs,  C.  C.,  337,  354. 
Briuckerhoff,  Geo.  W..  29,  4H,  62,  70, 

78,88,  189,244,  245. 
Brown,  Andrew,  103,  104. 
Brown,  E.  W,  276. 
Brown,  Eunice.  87,  88. 
Brown,  Horace,  340. 
Brown,  Judge  Thomas,  100,  159,185, 

242,  263. 

Brown,  Judge  William,  130, 276-277. 
Bundy,  H.  W.,  85. 
Bundy  &  Goodhue,  85. 
Burnap,  Francis,  120,  157, 167, 168, 

171,  194,213,251,354. 
Burhoe,  Rev.  J.  T.,  377. 
Burns,  Michael,  246,  371. 
Bushuell,  Horace,  95,  96. 
Butterworth,  Thomas,  349,  365-366. 

Campbell,  John,  murder  of,  177. 

Campbell,  Thompson,  101. 

Carrico,  T.  W.,  50. 

Catlin,  Dr.  A.  M.,  107-109,  229. 

Catlin,  Dr.  E.  R.,  47,  303. 

Catlin,  Mrs.  E.  P.,  93,  283. 

Cemeteries,  151-153. 

Census,  County,  first,  53. 

Census,  resume,  357. 

Census,  Village,  first,  148. 

Chaney,  Ralph,  175,  176,  177,  179, 

181. 

Charivari  fatality,  358. 
Charters,  Rockford,  314-315. 
Charters,  Royal,  1. 
Chase,  Salmon  P.,  357. 
Chetlain,  Mrs.,  92,  228. 
CHURCHES  : 

Baptist,  First,  138-147. 

Baptist,  State  Street,  376-377. 

Catholic,  St.  James,  369-370. 

Christian,  373. 

Congregational,  First,  87-96. 

Congregational,  Second,  306-312. 

Episcopal,  284-286. 

Lutheran,  First  Swedish,  372-378. 

Methodist,  Court  Street,  368-369. 

Methodist,  First,  68-74. 


382 


INDEX. 


CHURCHES — continued. 

Methodist,  Third  Street,  375-376. 

Methodist,  Winnebago  Street,  374. 

Presbyterian,  First,  370-372. 

Presbyterian,  Westminster.  373-374. 

Unitarian,  194-200. 

Universalist,  229-230, 
Church,  Samuel  I.,  93,  351.. 
Church,  Judge  S.  M.,  29,  38,  41,  50, 

62,  132,  167,  168,  171,  191,  Q26, 

239,  241,  249,  264,  354. 
Church,  Mrs.  S.  M.,  87,238. 
Churchill,  P.  P.,  38. 
Circuit  courts,  first,  100. 
City  tax  levies,  316. 
Claim  fights,  76-80. 
Clark,  Dr.  D.  S.,  275,303. 
Clark,  Dr.  Dexter,  275,  331. 
Clark,  George  Rogers.  2,  3. 
Clark,  Rev.  Ichabod,  144,  145. 
Clark,  Dr.  Lucius,  274-275,  291 . 
Clark,  Dr.  L.  A.,  275. 
Clark,  Orlando,  224,  234,  322. 
Clary,  Rev.  Dexter,  295,  308. 
Clay,  Henry,  45,  258,  317. 
Clerks,  city,  315. 

Coleman,  John  S.,  279,  310,  334-335. 
Colton,  A.,  192,  193,  218. 
Commercial  Block,  359. 
Commissioners'   court,    55,  58,  154, 

157,  164,  201. 

Conant,  Rev.  A.  H.,  197-199,  287. 
Conick,  W.  G.,  101,  215. 
Conick,  Mrs.  William,  50. 
Constitution  of  1818,  55,  261. 
Constitutional    convention    of  1848, 

264. 

Corey,  Alonzo,  163,  236. 
Corwin,  Tom,  197,  358-359. 
Cosper,  Elias,  197,  339. 
Cotton,  Robert  H.,  50. 
Cotton,  Mrs.  Robert  HM  50  312. 
County  commissioners,  54,  58. 
County  divided,  81. 
County  jail,  first,  156. 
County  jail,  brick,  159. 
County  officers  made  elective,  201 . 
County  seat  contest,  154-159. 
County  seat  located,  58. 
Countryman,  Alfred,  execution  of,  351 . 
Court  house,  first,  70,  88,  89,  101. 
Crawford,  S.  P.,  145. 
Crews,  Rev.  Hooper,  73,  351 . 
Crime,  first,  75. 
Croly,  David  G.,  220. 
Crosby,  Asa,  87,  92,  100. 
Cross,  Robert  J.,  39,  53,  54,  55,  57, 

84,  121,  172, 191,  264. 
Cunningham  Brothers,  124-125. 
Cunningham,  I.  N.,  29,  43,  136,  156, 

172, 194. 

Cunningham,  William,  103.  156. 
Curtis,  Prof.  E.  L.,  90. 


Curtis,  G.  W.,  200,  327. 
Curtis,  Rev.  W.  S.,  90,  251 . 

Dacotas,  11. 

Dam,  first,  222-224. 

Davenport,  Col.,  16, 184,  187. 

Davis,  Jefferson,  15,  108,  337. 

Dennett,  G.  H.,  366. 

Dennis,  W.  P.,  47,  86,  168. 

Dickerman,  W.  A.,  91,  235-236,  240. 

Reminiscences  of,  235-247. 
Dickerman,  Mrs.  W.  A.,  113. 
Dixon,  John,  212. 
Doty,  Simon  P.,  54. 
Douglas,  Stephen  A.,  76,  160,   161, 

250,  262,  263,  330,  360-361. 
Dow,  Daniel,  144,  158, 169-170,  242. 
Driscolls,  the,  174-181. 
Drummond,  Thomas,  101,  242,  263, 

322 
Dunbar,  William  E,,  38,  54,  55,  67,76. 

163, 168,  239. 

Early,  Hon.  John,  335-336. 
Ebbert,  John,  271. 
Edwards,  John,  116,  280. 
ELECTIONS  : 

County,  first,  54. 

Precinct,  56. 

Previous  to  1850,  201-207. 

Of  1852-53,  319-320. 

Of  1856,  356. 

Of  1860,  379. 
Ellis,  Col.  E.  F.  W.,  336. 
Ellsworth,  Col.  E.  E.,  356-357. 
Ely,  Rev.  B.  E.  S.,  90,  372. 
Emerson,  Prof.  Joseph,  94, 334. 
Emerson,  Rev.  Joseph.  309-310. 
Emerson,  Ralph,  322,  323,  334. 
Emerson,  Mrs.  Ralph,  334. 
Enoch,  Abraham  I.,  39, 131.  320. 
Enoch,  Henry,  69,  100. 
Enoch,  Mary,  69. 
Enoch,  H.  R.,  43. 

Fair,  first,  172-173. 

Farnsworth,  Hon.  J.  F.,  191. 

Farwell,  Seth  B.,  100,  181. 

Ferguson,  Duncan,  120-1 21 . 145. 1 90. 

Ferguson,  Samuel.  340. 

Ferry,  60,  61-62. 

Fisher,  Henry,  46. 

Fisher,  John,  62. 

Foote  Brothers,  107-108. 

Foote,  Rev.  Hiram,  293. 

Forbes,  A.  D.,  339. 

Forbes,  Duncan,  324, 339. 

Forbes,  Geo.  R.,  116,  246,  340. 

Fire  department,  316. 

Floats,  Indian,  13,14,  29,  41.  59,  77, 

Ford,  Thomas  H.,  16,  53,   166,  167. 

175, 181,  262. 
Forty-niners,  288. 


888 


INDEX. 


Foundry,  first,  233-234. 

Fraley,  John,  367. 

Fraternities,  347-348. 

Freeman,  Henry,  342-343. 

French,  Irvin,  88. 

French  occupancy  of  Illinois.  1 ,  2. 

Frink,  Walker  &  Co.,  99,  102,  103, 

182,  237,  242. 
Fuller,  Arthur,  287. 
Fuller,  Margaret,  33,  197,  200,  287. 
Fuller,  Gen.  Allen  C.,  242,  378-379. 

Galena  alien  case,  261. 

Gas  Light  and  Coke  Company,  349. 

Geological  survey,  6-9. 

George,  Sampson,  42,  75,  284. 

Gibson,  Allen,  354. 

Giddings,  Joshua  R.,  333. 

Gipsy  steamboat,  114-115. 

Gleason,  H.  W.,  100. 

Goodall,  Blanche.  96. 

Goodhue,  Geo.,  85. 

Goodhue,  Dr.  J.  C.,  40,  63,  66,  85, 

109,110-112,148,  163,   168,   173, 

188, 189. 
Goodrich,  Dr.,  45. 
Goodwin,  Dr.  A.  E.,  337. 
Goodwin,  Rev.  H.  M.,  92,  93,  94,  95, 

96,  227.  294. 
Gorham,  M.  L.,  365. 
Grand  jurv,  first,  100. 
Grant.  U.  S.,  160,  379. 
Greeley,  Horace,  197,  327-328. 
Gregory,  Eliphalet,  36,  54,  71. 
Gregory,  Joanna,  69. 
Gregory,  L.  B.,  170,  223.  275. 
Gregory,  Samuel,  36.  37,  69,  71,  72, 

100,  271. 
Griggs,  Joseph  P.,  53,  54,  57. 

Haight,  D.  S.,  35-36.  47,  54,  55,  60. 

63,  66,  67,  70,  85,  86,  88,  97,  98. 

99,  100,  101,  102.  103,  148,  155. 

167,  171,  189,  213,  214,  215,  281. 
Haines,  Anthony,  129,  338. 
Hale.  Dr.  H.  B.,*366. 
Hale,  John  P..  317. 
Hall,  Alonzo,  191 . 
Hall,  John  H..  363. 
Hall  school,  363. 
HALLS  : 

Metropolitan,  126,  358.  359. 

Peake's,  129. 

Warner's,  196,  371. 
Hard,  Giles  C.,  62.  99. 
Hard  winter,  the,  171 . 
Harper,  Derastus,  156,  158,  159,  214. 

001    232 
Haskell,  George,  36. 86. 114-117, 138, 

139,  156,  158,  167.  172,  214,  246. 

247,  289. 

Haskell,  Rev.  Samuel.  114,  117,  145. 
Hatch,  Rufus,  93. 


Hazlett,  Jacob.  340. 

Hempstead,  Chas.  S.,29. 164, 263,280. 

Henry.  Patrick,  3. 

Herrick  family,  125-126. 

Hitchcock,  Jonathan,  105. 

Hitt,  Hon.  R.  R.,  256,  331,  361. 

Holland.  John  A.,  Ill,  121,  187,  191, 

239,  279,  349. 
Holland,  H.  P..  345,  349. 
Ho-no-ne-gah.  22-25. 
Hood,  D.  N.,  364. 
HOTELS  : 

American  House,  70,  101,  104. 

Brown's  Cottage,  104. 

City,  316. 

Eagle,  104. 

Holland  House,  355-356. 

Inn,  The  104. 

Log  Tavern,  104. 

Rockford  House,  100, 103, 148. 162, 
172,  178,  174,  252. 

Rock  River  House,  104. 

Union,  104. 

Washington  House,  252. 

Waverly,  104. 

Winnebago  House,  136,  171.  241. 

242,  246,  252. 
Horsman,  C.  L.  42,  97, 133.144,  156, 

158,168,172,173,188,  191,   192, 

231,  241. 

Horsman,  Mrs.,  42,  241. 
Hough,  D.  S.,  366. 
Houghton,  Bethuel,  43,  H6. 
Howell,  Daniel,  103,  157,  192,  231. 
Howell,  J.  B.,  144,  224,  273. 
Howes,  Phineas,  46, 127,  136,  185. 
Hulin,    William,  24,  129,  144,  158, 

159,  191. 
Huntington,  C.  A.,  80,  129,  244,  275- 

276,  277,  289. 
Hurlbut,  Gen.  Stephen  A.,  191.  242. 

264,  265,  329,  330,  331. 
Hydraulic  company,  222-224. 

Illinois,  state,  5,  6. 
Illinois,  territory,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5. 
Indiana,  territory,  5,  17. 
Irving,  Washington,  250. 

Jefferson,  Joseph,  8f». 

Jefferson,  Thomas,  4. 

Jenks,  Cyrus  C.,  86,  100. 

Jennie  June,  221. 

Johnson,  I.  D.,  271. 

Journalists  and  Journalism,  215-221. 

Keith,  Adam,  38 

Kemble,  J.  C.,  45.  97,  149,  188,  189. 

Kemp,  Joseph,  25. 

Kent.  Aratus,  36,  289,  291,  295. 

Kent,  Germanicuc,  26-31,  48,  53,  54, 

57,  61  62.  63,  65,  66,  70,  86,  87. 

88.  99,  103.  163,  167,  171,  208, 

209,  211,  214,  244,  281. 


INDEX. 


884 


Kent,  Lewis,  208-209. 

Kerr,  Dr.  Thomas,  121,  146-147. 

Keyt,  David,  310,  354. 

Kilburn,  Benjamin,  50,  76. 

Kilburn,  Milton,  38. 

Kimball,  Henry  P.,  303,  336-337. 

Kimball,  Mrs.  H.  P.,  117. 

Kirk,  E.  A.,  50,  129. 

Kishwaukee,  village,  105,  108. 

Knapp,  Rev.  Jacob,  117, 139, 142-144, 

Knowlton,  W.  A. ,340. 

Lake,  John.  46-47. 

Lake,  Lewis  F.,  53. 

Lake,  Thomas,  36,  40,  46,  84,  86, 

Land  sale  at  Dixon,  213-214. 

Lane,  R.  P.,  235,  338. 

LaSalle,  1,  2. 

Lathrop,  William,  313,  314,  335. 

Latimer,  Charles,  168, 171,  181,  282. 

Lawler,  Thomas  G.,  96,  199,  228. 

Leach,  Shepherd,  123, 124,  251,  252, 

Leavitt's  town  plat,  214. 

Lecture  courses,  1853-1860,  lectures 
by  E.  P.  Whipple,  Horace  Mann, 
Geo.  W.Curtis,  Horace Greeley,  Bay- 
ard Taylor,  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson, 
J.  G.  Saxe,  James  Russell  Lowell, 
and  others,  326-328. 

Lee,  Geo.  W.,  105,  172,  188,  189. 

Leetown,  105. 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  21, 108, 160, 161, 
202,  228,  262,  322-324,  334,  356, 
378-80. 

Lincoln-Douglas  debate,  360-361. 

Logan,  John  A.,  160,  330. 

London  Company,  1. 

Loomis,  H.  W.,  44,  243. 

Loomis,  Nathaniel,  41,  44. 

Loop,  James  L.,  Ill,  163,  185,  186, 

242,  330,  335. 
Loss,  Rev.  Lewis  H.,  91,  92,  94,  289, 

293. 

Lovejoy,  Rev.  Elijah  P.,  116, 280, 361. 
Lowell,  James  Russell,  200,  328. 
Lowry,  A,  G.,  340. 
Lyceum,  168. 
Lyon,  Isaiah,  114, 136, 138, 139, 148, 

149,  156,  250. 

Mack,  Stephen,  20,  22-25,  63. 

McKenney  robbery,  182. 

Mail,  first,  98. 

Maine  temperance  law,  349. 

Manlove,  J.  G.,  338. 

Manny,  F.  H.,  325,  366. 

Manny,  J.  H.,  321-324. 

Manny,  Mrs.  J.  H.,  324. 

Manny,  John  P.,  325,  340. 

Manny-McCormick  suit,  322-324. 

Manny  mansion,  353. 

Manufacturers,  1850-1860,  334-325. 


Marriages,  first,  75. 
Marsh,  Jason,  91,  94,  118-120,126, 
157, 163, 168,  173,  179,  181,  185, 

186,  191,  192,  238,  252,  289. 
Marsh  school,  342. 

Marsh,  Volney  A.,  93, 171. 

Martyn,  James  B.,36,65,  71,  85,100, 

174. 

Maynard,  H.  R.,  50,  239,  243,  244. 
Mayors,  315. 
Midway,  65,  66. 
Mile-strip  contest,  81-83. 
Miller,  Anson  S.,  157,  168,  169,  171, 

185,  187,  206,  246,  289,  355. 
Miller,  Asher,  62,  238,  308. 
Miller,  C.  F.,  152,  168,  169,  171,  185, 

187,  246. 
Miller,  D.,  367. 

Miller,  Horace,  70,  71,  130,  163,  172, 

181. 

Miller,  Jacob,  104,  181,  189. 
Miller,  John,  50. 
Miller,  Orrin,  169. 
Mitchell,  Rev.  E.  C.,  140,  377. 
Mitchell,  James,  100,  148,  159,  251. 
Molony,  Dr.,  250. 

Montague,  Richard,  38, 152, 172,194. 
Montague  school,  38. 
Morgan,  Abiram,  29,  41,  138,  139, 

156,  241,  251. 
Morgan,  Mrs.,  41,  241,  251. 
Morrill  family,  87. 
Morrill,  Rev.  John,  49,  87,  88. 
Moulthrop,  Dr.  L.,  37,  163,  284. 
Moulthrop,  L.,  277,  284,  285,  317. 
Moundbuilders,  10, 11. 
Mulford  robbery,  183-184. 
Myott,  Catherine,  14,  59. 

Navigation  Rock  river,  188-191, 

Nelson,  John,  337. 

Nevius,  Col.  Garrett,  363. 

Newburg,  105. 

New  England  influence,  253-256. 

Northwest  Territory,  4,  5,  163. 

Norton,  Rev.  0.  W.,  90. 

Oliver,  Charles,  103, 174,  185. 186. 

Ordinance  1787,  4,  296. 

Patriotic  celebration,  first,  97. 

Peake,  Laomi,  Sr.,  128-129,157,237. 

Penfield,  David  S.,  93,  123,  213,  251. 

Penfield,  J.  G.,  123,  339. 

Penfield,  Mrs.  J.  G.,  339. 

Penfield,  S.  F.,  342,  366. 

Penfield,  William,  86,  97. 

Perry,  Seely,  46,  47,  277,  303,  315, 

333,  345,  352,  353. 
Perry,  Mrs.  Marie  T.,  294. 
Peters,  William,  50. 
Phelps,  John,  25. 
Phillips,  Wendell,  253-254. 
Pioneer  (locomotive),  271. 


INDEX. 


385 


Pioneers  of  1838, 130. 

Pioneers,  previous  to  1840, 38-39, 50, 

130. 

Pioneers,  trials  of,  131-133. 
Plank  road,  191. 
Platt,  John,  50,  115,  116.  243, 
Plymouth  Company,  1. 
Polish  Claims,  149,  210-214. 
Political  reminiscences,  201-107,  329- 

331. 

Pope,  Nathaniel,  5, 162,  164,  165. 
Porter,  Rev.  Lansing,  90,  252,  308, 

353. 

Porter,  John  R.,  366. 
Posson,  family,  43. 
Postmaster,  first,  98. 
Postmasters  of  Rockford,  226-228. 
Pottawatomies,  22,  34,  111,  170. 
Potter,  E.  H.,  48,  87,  92,  100,  101, 

157,  213,  231,  232,  237,  289,  291, 
313. 

Potter,  H.  B.,  40,  87,  98,  107,  108, 

238. 

Potter,  Joel  B.,  92, 125, 131, 173, 238. 
Potter  &  Preston,  45. 
Precincts  created,  56. 
Presiding  elders,  roster  of.  74. 
Preston,  Samuel  D.,  48,  87, 101, 149, 

167. 
Public  librarr,  first,  344-345. 

RAILROADS  : 

Galena  &  Chicago  Union,  266-272. 

Chicago  &  Northwestern,  272. 

Kenosha  &  Rockford,  352-353. 

Rockford  Central,  348. 
Railroad  convention,  267-268. 
Rawlins,  John  A.,  378-379. 
Reed,  Charles,  58,  59,  60,  155,  247. 
Reed,  Rev.  D.  M.,  199. 
Reform  of  Judiciary,  260. 
Regan,  M.  H.,  71,  249,  273. 
Rhoades,  Levi,  367. 
Rib-town,  104. 
Richings,  Dr.  C.  H.,  42-43. 
River  and  harbor  convention,  257-259. 
Robertson,  Thomas  D.,  121-122,  157, 

158,  163,  168,  171,  185,  237,  239, 
279,  289. 

Robinson,  Sylvester,  283. 

Rockford's  attitude  toward  repudia- 
tion of  state  debt,  166-167. 

Rockford  City  Greys,  356. 

Rockford  houses  in  1888,  134-136. 

Rockford,  incorporated  as  a  city,  313. 

Rockford  seminary,  287-295. 

Rock  River  Baptist  Association,  or- 
ganized, 140. 

Rock  River  conference,  68-74. 

Rock  River  Medical  Association,  283. 

Rock  River  Mutual  Insurance  Co.,  332. 

Rodd,  Joseph,  224,  324. 

Roe,  Rev.  C.  H.  146,  287. 


Rose,  Benjamin  A.,  274. 
Rowland,  William  L.,  345,  362. 
Rowland,  William  M.,  362. 
Rowley,  Isaac,  88. 

Sacs  and  Foxes,  16,  17. 

Sackett,  C.  T.,  367. 

Sanford,  Albert,  36,  243,  251. 

Sanford,  Clara  G.,  10,  96. 

Sanford,  G.  A.,  49,  84,  115,  116,  136, 

159,  167,  185,  214,  231,  235,  239, 

243,  251,  310. 
Sanford,  Robert,  251. 
Sayre,  James,  105, 

Schools,  free  public,  1855-'61, 341-343. 
School  funds,  297-300. 
School   houses   and   teachers,    early, 

300-303. 
Scipio,  104,  155. 
Scott,  Gen.  14, 19. 
Scott,  Sir  Walter,  250,  363. 
Searles,  H.  D.,  104,  128. 
Seccomb,  J.  W.,  277. 
Secession  convention,  Rockford,  162. 
Secession  from  Illinois,  proposed,  160- 

165. 

Seminary  at  Kishwaukee,  107-108. 
Seventy-fourth  regiment,  119. 
Shaw,  Bela,  130.  233,  236,  237,  289. 
Shaw,  C.  A.,  354,  366. 
Sheldon,  C.  W.,  265,  338-339. 
Sheldon,  Judge,  351. 
Sheldon,  Porter,  265. 
Sherratt,  Harriott  Wight,  86, 118. 
Sherratt,  John  H.,  60. 
Shumway  family,  43-44. 
Silk  culture,  247. 
Sill,  Anna  P.,  94,  289,  290,  291,  292- 

295 

Silsby,  H.  H.,  45,  114,  136-137,  234. 
Skinner,  Dea.,  92.  246. 
Smith,  Abraham  E.,  228. 
Smith,  Melancthon,  227-228. 
Social  life  in  the  early  forties,  248-252. 
Sons  of  Temperance,  344. 
Southgate,  J.  M.,  120,  340. 
Southgate,  Volney,  120. 
Sovereign,  I.,  367. 

Spafford,  Amos  Catlin,  91, 127,  224, 
Spafford,  Charles  H.,  126,  171,  185, 

226,  227,  228,  249,  290,  320,  352. 
Spafford,  Mrs.  Charles  H.,  103,  126, 

171,  249,  251. 

Spafford,  John,  127,  359. 
Spaulding,  D.  A.,  44,  54,  55,  57,  66, 

67,  79,  87. 
Squier,  John  F.,  345. 
Stage  barn,  70,  88,  102. 
Stage  coach,  102-103. 
Starr,  Melancthon,  196,  278-280. 
State  roads,  63 . 
Stillman's  Run,  19,  108, 109. 
Stone,  Judge,  Dan,  100,  261. 


386 


INDEX. 


Sunday  at  the  ferry,  245. 

Swedish  emigrants,  first,  332. 

Sweasy,  Rev.  Lewis,  107. 

Sumner,  E.  B.,  52,  106. 

Sumner,  Ephraim,  39,  52,  56,  105, 

131. 

Surveys,  first,  66. 
Sweet,  M.  P.,  101, 163, 185,  187,  242. 

Taggart,  Hon.  A.,  343. 

Talcott,  Henry,  39,  367. 

Talcott,  Sylvester,  56,  75,  322,  334, 

367. 

Talcott,  Thomas  B.,  39,  54,267,367. 
Talcott,  William,  39,  367. 
Talcott,  William  A.,  334. 
Taylor,  Bayard,  197,  347. 
Taylor,  H.  W.,  364-365. 
Taylor,  James,  62. 
Taylor,  John  F.,  350-151. 
Taylor,  John  W.,  152,  156,  163,  171, 

245,  251. 

Taylor,  Zachary,  21. 
Tax  levy,  first,  83-84. 
Telegraph  line  reaches  Rockford,  356. 
Temperance  society,  first,  150. 
Thompson,  N.  C.,  325,  340,  365. 
Thomas.  Dr.  Alden,  112-113, 158, 235, 

241. 

Thomas,  Dr.  H.  W.,  74. 
Thurston,  Henry,  47,  97,  100,  103, 

214. 
Thurston,  John  H.,  32,  34,35,47,  66, 

98,   103,  131,  182,  215,  249. 
Ticknor,  J.  S.,  34-8. 
Tinker,  Robert  H.,  86,  345,  363. 
Tinker,  William  H.,  85. 
Todd,  L.  H.,  366. 
Toms,  Isaac,  50. 
Townsend,  W.  H.,  93,  366. 
Township  organization,  304. 
Trahern,  W.  D.,  324,  367. 
Treaty  of  Paris  (1763),  2;  (1783),  3, 

4. 

Treaties,  Indian,  12-14,  17,  59,  77. 
Trowbridge,  L.  A.,  273. 
Trowbridge,  Mrs.  M.  T.,  86. 
Tullock,  George,  170. 
Twelve-Mile  Grove,  65,  78,  79,  103, 

105,  109,  242. 

Twogood,  Sidney.  36,40,84,  86,102. 
Twogood,  William,  50. 

Udell,  Grant  B.,  171, 187. 

Upton,  C.  O.,  338. 

Utter,  Isaac,  234,  322,  339. 

Vance,  John.  86. 
Vanceborough,  105,  106. 
Vanhorne,  Rev.  G.  R.,  68. 


Village  plats,  104-106. 

Village  of  Rockford  incorporated,  148. 

Vincent,  Bishop,  68,  69. 

Virginia,  1,  2,  3,  4. 

Voters,  first  election,  roster  of,  54-55. 

Waldo,  Hiram  H.,  91,  92,  235,  252, 

277-278,  330. 
Waldo,  Lorenzo  D.,  373. 
Wallis,  W.  T.,  93. 
Walton,  Rev.  J.  E.,  286,  312. 
Warner,  Lynmn  F.,  278. 
Washburne,  Elihu  P.,  242,  319-320, 

322,  329,  330,  331,  354-355,  360. 
Water-power  company,  321. 
Warren,  Edward,  171,  226. 
Waterman,  John  D.,  228. 
Watson,  Rev.  Cyrus  L.,  89,  90. 
Watson.  Peter  H.,  233,  322. 
Webster,  Daniel,  20,  45,  317. 
Weldon,  Jonathan,  80,  172,  285. 
Wentworth,  John,  101, 110, 188,  215, 

216,  257. 

Wesleyan  seminary,  346. 
West,  L.  M.,  363-364. 
Wheeler,  B.  G.,  227,  235,  290. 
Wheeler,  Willard,  71,  124,  213,  231, 

239  313 
Whitman,  Rev.  S.  S.,  138,  140,  141, 

142,  250. 

Whitney,  Daniel,  29. 
Whitney,  Dr.  Daniel  H.,53,54,  59,  75, 

76.98,163,202,  264. 
Whittier,  John  G.,  115, 
Wight,  J.  Ambrose,  97,  217-218. 
Wight,  James  M.,  118,  157, 168, 185, 

191,  194,  229,  238. 
Wight,  Miss  Mary,  118. 
Wight  school,  118. 
Wilcox,  Rev.  W.  T.,  374. 
Wilder,  Nathaniel,  48. 
Williams,  Charles,  315,  362. 
Williams,  Charles  L.,  25,  364,  375. 
Winnebagoes,  10-15, 19,  34,  59. 
Winnebago  county  organized,  51-57. 
Winnebago  village,  58, 59, 60,  61, 108, 

154,  155. 

Winters,  John  D.,  99, 103. 
Woodruff,  Gilbert,  48,  69,  364. 
Works,  Charles,  87. 
Worthington,  William,  128,  229, 237. 
Wyman,  Ephraim,  37,  86,  148,  152, 

156,  194,  214,  233,  244,  279. 

Yates,  Richard,  160,  379. 

Young  Men's   Association,  326-328, 

344. 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 

103,  215,  374-375. 


ERRATA. 

On  page  50,  the  name  Henry  Maynard  should  read  Hiram 
li.  Maynard. 

On  page  66  it  is  stated  that  Charles  B.  Far  well  succeeded 
John  A.  Logan  in  the  United  States  senate  in  1886.  It  should 
read,  in  1887. 

On  pages  163,  185,  and  242,  James  M.  Loop  should  read 
James  L.  Loop. 

In  the  last  line  of  the  first  paragraph  on  page  43,  the  name 
Dr.  C.  H.  Richings  should  read  Dr.  Henry  Richings.  Also  on 
page  129,  in  the  paragraph  on  William  Hulin,  the  same  substi- 
tution of  the  two  names  should  be  made. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOI8-URBANA 


HistOiy  of  Rockford  and  Winnebago  County,  Illinois 


